HAPPY couples will be able to tie the knot at a popular Bradford sports venue if new plans are approved.

Q Gardens at Stadium Mills in Odsal is the subject of a new application submitted to Bradford Council to allow wedding ceremonies, while still retaining all the venue’s use as a bar, pool hall and function space.

It says the plans are the result of the owners “reconsidering the business model” of the venue following the Covid 19 pandemic, which had a devastating impact on hospitality venues across the country.

Q Gardens opened in 2006, after Bradford Council granted planning permission for the building to be used as a snooker club with an American pool lounge bar and function room space.

This use would continue if the new plans are approved, but the venue would also be able to host wedding ceremonies.

The business has already applied for a wedding licence, but a change of use planning application will need to be approved by Bradford Council for any ceremonies go ahead.

Owner David Shipley has submitted the application, which would allow wedding ceremonies to take place between 10am and 4pm, seven days a week.

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The application says the extra use would likely lead to an increase in the number of staff currently employed at the business, which stands at around 18.

There would be no major external or internal changes to the building if the new use was allowed.

The application reveals that the pandemic, and related lockdowns, played a major part in the decision to branch out and offer weddings at the venue.

It says: “The Applicant has reconsidered the business model for the premises since the outbreak of the Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020 and would like to change the use of part of the building to allow it’s use as a wedding ceremony venue to allow the attendance of a registrar to carry out wedding ceremonies between the hours of 10am and 4pm seven days a week.

“The area which the Applicant is proposing to change the use of to allow additional use as a wedding ceremony venue is currently used as function space.

“It is intended to retain the existing Function space use with an additional use for wedding ceremonies.

“The proposed additional use as a wedding ceremony venue will operate within the hours of opening identified by Condition 3 of the (2006) planning application which restricts the use of premises from 10am to midnight Sundays to Thursdays and from 10am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

“It should be noted that a Wedding Registrar can currently only attend the venue to carry out ceremonies between the hours of 10am and 4pm seven days a week.”

A decision on the application is expected to be made by Bradford Council next month.