A ONCE popular Bradford pub that shut earlier this year could be converted into a café and bedsits if new plans are approved.

The Black Swan in Frizinghall was one of the last pubs in that area of the city before an announcement in March that the business would be closing for good the following month.

Now a planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council to convert the Grade II listed building – which dates back to the mid 18th century.

The pub was nicknamed the 'Mucky Duck' and was popular among real ale fans and Bradford City supporters.

The plans would see the ground floor of the pub converted into a restaurant/café, and the first floor become a House of Multiple Occupation made up of four bedrooms, a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom.

The application, by Tihra Parveen, says the bedsits will be attractive to students at the University of Bradford who may be put off by higher rents in the city centre.

The application says: “Due to the rising prices the previous owner closed the pub in early April 2023 and sold the property. Since then, the place has been shut.”

The plans also include a rear extension to the ground floor that the application says will allow the owners to “rent the ground floor to potential tenants for café/restaurant use.”

Referring to possible tenants of the planned bedsits, the application says: “With the help of Public Transport, a person can easily reach University of Bradford within 30 minutes.

“A Northern train runs every half an hour from Frizinghall to Bradford Forster Square. This makes the ideal location for HMO considering the fact that the rental prices near university would be higher.

“We believe that this change of use will promote an effective use of land in meeting the need for homes and other uses creating a healthy environment.

“It will promote and encourage the use of public transport, walking and cycling. Conserve and enhance the existing historic environment.”

Other changes will include adding double glazing to the listed pub’s windows and replacing the front gable roof.

A separate application for listed building consent for these works has also been submitted to the Council.

Decisions on the applications are expected in late November.

The application follows another plan to convert a once loved empty pub – the Hare and Hounds in Heaton.

In August a planning application to turn that pub, off Toller Lane into three shops with flats above was submitted to the Council by Dawett Enterprise Ltd.