New plans for former Kudos nightclub

Developers have successfully applied for change of use designation for the Kudos building at Robin Park, making it a more attractive proposition to entertainment and leisure firms.

Planning documents reveal the Anjou Boulevard location is now drawing “a high level of interest from operators of gyms and trampoline centres.”

And a further application has been submitted to the town hall asking for permission to modify the front of the building, sparking rumours a deal is edging ever closer.

The Evening Post can reveal Allied Kunick Entertainments Ltd (AKEL) applied to have the legal status of the site from “sui generis (of its own kind)” to class D2, which is the designation used by swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums or areas for other indoor or outdoor sports or recreations.

Documents state “there is no agreed end user” but AKEL has been “in discussions with a number of interested businesses.”

A supporting application was submitted earlier this month for the old signs attached to the building to be stripped off plus “the creation of a new disabled entrance and a closing off of redundant entrances.”

If a firm is found to take over the site it would represent the third major boost to the Robin Park retail area in recent months.

A bid for a hotel development - including two restaurants - is under consideration by the council and could provide a significant jobs boost to the borough’s economy. And a host of new units on the adjacent side of the retail park have already been given the green light.

Kudos closed its doors in 2002 but the nightclub venue reopened and operated for a brief stint as Starlight and Pipedreams a few years later.

Planning documents also reveal an application was made in 2010 for the building to be used as a place of worship, nursery and cafe but the bid was withdrawn by the applicant.

The Evening Post has attempted to contact AKEL but had not received a response at the time of going to press.

Boom times for Robin Park have been in stark contrast with Wigan town centre of late which recently appeared near the bottom of a national league table for shop vacancies.