General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

if you study the application carefully, you will soon see that it is a 'hybrid' application. The full planning application generally focuses on the demolition and prescribed buildings on the footprint of the Galleries. However, the outline application running in tandem appears to be 'testing' the Council into considering a more extensive development, which would of course see the demolition of the historic Market Hotel (if it is granted).
I offer my view on this with regard to the Market Hotel. This is a significant building which was geared to market holders and their horses - the hotel had stables. Perhaps many people just see a former restaurant now closed and boarded up and have no concept of its historical relevance. The idea of regeneration in the town is to create hospitality such as bars, cafes restaurants, etc... so surely the old Market Hotel would be a wonderful historic building that could be integrated into any proposal and be celebrated. We have lost so many important and iconic buildings that if we allow the destruction of more, we would eventually become a new town like Milton Keynes with all visual acknowledgement to history completely erased.
Also, there is a proposal to build a cinema, yet a fabulous art deco style cinema that hosted not just films, but acts such as the Beatles and Stones was bulldozed to make way for the 'Grand Arcade'.