A NEW beauty salon is set to make a move across the city centre into an empty former clothing and homeware store.

The beauticians Mimi by Holly Parkes, which is currently based in New Street in Worcester, is set to open in the former Laura Ashley store in Broad Street.

The city centre building has been empty since 2020 when the company went into administration.

New plans for the grade II listed building in Crown Passage, off Broad Street, show manicure and eyebrow stations as well as treatment areas and private treatment rooms across two floors.

A statement included with the application said: “The current building forms several smaller subdivided units. 2 Crown Passage is a retail unit previously known as Laura Ashley and has been unoccupied since its closure in 2020.

“The proposed use will be a mixed-use comprising of a beauty salon with retail areas for products, a waiting area serving drinks along with staff room areas such as storerooms, staff room with kitchenette and a manager’s office.

“The proposed works would aim to keep the external appearance of the building as existing, with minor repair to areas in need and to also include minor internal shopfitting works and redecoration.”

Struggling homeware chain Laura Ashley announced it would be cutting hundreds of jobs in March 2020 blaming the then-beginning Covid-19 pandemic for a “significant” drop in trade which tipped the waning business over the edge.

Despite many High Street stores reopening in June as lockdown restrictions were eased, Laura Ashley’s store in Worcester’s Broad Street was revealed as one of 70 closures and the building has remained empty since.

You can view the plans by visiting Worcester City Council’s website.

The application number is 23/00019/FUL and consultation ends on February 8.

A separate plan to open another beauty salon at a courier’s office in City Walls Road has also been put forward to planners at the city council.

The application by John Stubbins would see the office for JGS Couriers at Amber Gate next to the junction of City Walls Road and Sidbury converted into the new beauty salon.