A POPULAR café in Ely has applied for planning permission to become a takeaway.

JM Watson, the owner of Tea for Two, in Buttermarket, is seeking a new tenant for the business and has applied for a change of use to make it more attractive to potential tenants.

The café is split over three floors, with seating for 15 people inside the building and more outside and has been open for business for more than 15 years. It employs two full-time and five part-time staff.

According to the plans however, the owner has been approached with a number of offers in recent months to take over the premises and run it as a takeaway.

Architects told planning officers at East Cambridgeshire District Council: “The current owner is looking to offer the property ‘to let’ in the open market for the existing use and possibly to alternative occupiers.

“The owner has had a number of approaches from A5 (hot food takeaway) users and is seeking the change of use to broaden the appeal of the unit in an effort to secure an alternative use for the site, if required, as soon as possible.”

A decision on the plans is expected within the next eight weeks. To view the plans, or to have a say, visit www.eastcambs.gov.uk