A new rooftop bar in Worcester is still set to undergo development according to the firm behind it despite little activity at its proposed Shambles site.

Worcester City Council approved plans for the new Victorian-themed, Carousel Worcester rooftop bar back in March 2023, but 15 months later the project itself is yet to see any progress.

Carousel already has sites in Lincoln and Leeds, with a further site planned for  Bristol too, and the new Worcester bar will take over the former Argos site on the busy Shambles thoroughfare in the city centre.

With two floors, Carousel Worcester will have a bar and restaurant area, meaning there will be a breadth of space for visitors to enjoy cocktails, food, and an eclectic range of retro and modern games.

These will include classic arcade games such as driving simulators and pinball machines alongside interactive games including air hockey, darts, shuffle board, quickdraw shooting, and beer pong.

Worcester City Council member Adam Scott, who represents Cathedral Ward, said: "The council always appreciates investment into the city, subject to the required planning and licensing approvals.

"We’re happy to see responsible developments that will add to the city’s nightlife.”

Carousel Lincoln could only confirm the Carousel Worcester project was still going ahead, and could not offer any further developments, whilst attempts to contact the site's owner, Lindum Leisure Limited, were unsuccessful.

Lindum Leisure Limited submitted the initial application to Worcester City Council for planning approval back in December 2022, with approval for the city's planning committee arriving four months later in March.

The proposed site for development, a former Argos store, has laid dormant since its closure in 2021 and in its current state, the building was labelled a "complete eyesore" and a "rancid hallmark of 1960s planning" by one resident who commented on the new plans during the application's consultation period.

Planning approval came as welcome news, with The Shambles requiring further rejuvenation due to the number of empty buildings found along the thoroughfare.

This is despite an investment of more than one million pounds into repairing the surfacing and lighting on The Shambles back in 2019.