A luxury watch retailer is to take over a long empty retail unit in York that once contained a bank.

The Watches of Switzerland Group has applied to City of York Council to replace an existing shop front at 4 Davygate.

The site, between Betty’s Cafe and the former Debenhams unit, has been empty since the Halifax Building Society pulled out in 2018.

The planning application says the unit, in the Central Conservation area, will be used by high-end boutique brand Breitling, with the unit operated by the Watches of Switzerland Group.

York Press: Artist's impression of the proposed shop frontageArtist's impression of the proposed shop frontage (Image: Artist's impression of the proposed shop frontage)

Breitling is a Swiss luxury watchmaker founded in 1884 and is known for its precision-made chronometers designed for aviators.

It continued: “The intention of the development is to showcase the brand within the context of the existing street scene, and to enhance the area through bringing a vacant premises back into use.

“This is felt to align with York City Council’s policy of maintaining and enhancing this area of the city and is in line with sensitive redevelopment within the context of the wider conservation area.”

The building consists of a basement, ground and two upper floors.

“The proposed retail store is to occupy the ground floor of the building only, with the basement and upper two stories of the property being outside of the proposed demise,” the application also said.

“Essentially, the existing building is retained, with the proposed replacement of the existing shopfront.”

It continued: “It is proposed to replace the existing frameless glazed shopfront and entrance doors with a new powder coated aluminium framed shopfront which incorporates security and ram raid protection in accordance with the security needs of the proposed high-end retail jewellery use and the high street location of the unit.

“All existing stone pilasters, panels and detailing are retained unchanged by the proposal. Signage does not form a part of the current submission and will be the subject of a future advertising consent application in due course. “

Earlier this summer, the Watches of Switzerland Group applied to City of York Council to refurbish and reconfigure the former Virgin Money corner unit and part of the former Debenhams unit next door to create a new 625m2 store.

This application is still going through the planning process and has yet to be determined.

The proposed retailer is Mappin & Webb, which dates back to 1750, with previous clients including Queen Victoria, Czar Nicholas II of Russia, Charles Dickens. Winston Churchill and Grace Kelly.

York city’s Debenhams at Davygate closed in December 2019, just prior to the pandemic, and remains empty.

York’s other Debenhams at Monks Cross will shortly reopen as a Decathlon sports store.