Projects approved to turn a former vegan fast food cafe into a Newcastle city center micropub

Plans to turn a former vegan fast food cafe into a micropub have been approved by planners in Newcastle.

The proposals relate to a change in use of the downtown site on Pink Lane from a restaurant to a pub.

They were deposited with Newcastle City Council by Darrin Williams of Micropub Northeast Ltd, which also owns the Tipsy Toad micropub on Heaton Road.

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An objection was received from a person concerned about “noise pollution issues” for residents of the building next door and above the bar.

But the application was given the green light, provided that a detailed noise study and sound insulation scheme were submitted and approved.

Junk It Up opened in Shields Road, Byker, in 2017, before moving to Pink Lane a year later, where it took over the old bohemian vegan cafe and takeout.

In 2019, the company announced it would close the Pink Lane Cafe and reopen in the downtown Stack development.

But in August of last year, it announced it would shut down permanently amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a message to its Facebook followers, Junk It Up said: “Due to the current Covid crisis and subsequent restrictions currently in place on the stack, we will be shutting down at the end of August.

“We would like to thank each of you for your continued support and are deeply saddened that things have come to this.

“Like many independent businesses across the country, the past few months have hit us hard, and we are deeply saddened to have to say goodbye to each other.”