Kidderminster venue where Fleetwood Mac played to become HMO

The former La Brasserie and Three Shires Café buildings on Lower Mill Street, Kidderminster, are set to be converted into 21 residential co-living studio rooms, with a co-working area and coffee shop.

The La Brasserie site was previously the home of Kidderminster's first cinema, the Bijou Cinema, which closed around 1915.

It later became the Frank Freeman Dancing Club, which hosted some of the biggest rock acts of the 1960s, including Fleetwood Mac, Fairport Convention and Captain Beefheart.

Captain Beefheart in full swing with his Magic Band at Frank Freeman’s (Image: Colin Hill)

The historic building was commemorated with a Kidderminster Civic Society plaque in 2006. The Kidderminster Civic Society said they "broadly" supported the application, but want the blue plaque to be protected.

Wyre Forest District Council has now approved a planning application to convert the building, which is set to provide “much-needed” housing.

Planning officer Julia McKenzie-Watts said: “The proposed development would provide much-needed housing in a sustainable town centre location and would ensure the long term viable use of a vacant grade II listed building.

“Any harm to the significance of the designated heritage assets due to the proposed internal works would be less than substantial and would be clearly offset by the public benefits of the scheme".

The former Three Shires Restaurant is also being converted (Image: Doolittle & Dally)

She added: “The proposed commercial/office unit on the ground floor would retain an active shop front to Church Street and would make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

“The size and layout of the proposed residential accommodation is considered to be acceptable and would provide an acceptable living environment for future occupiers”.