A popular Darlington pub is hoping to add outdoor seating in a bid to complement the town's café culture.

The Corner House has applied for a new pavement licence so it can add seating adjacent to the site for serving drinks and bar snacks. 

The application - which was submitted to Darlington Council on September 11 - comes just months after the venue re-opened the doors in March following a lengthy renovation. 

The Corner House in DarlingtonThe Corner House in Darlington (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Owner Daniel Lowe said the Skinnergate pub had lodged the plans in a bid to “enhance the customer experience whilst enjoying the great British weather.”

He also noted that it would be a “complementary” addition to Skinnergate and the “café culture” being implemented elsewhere in the town.

The application on the window of The Corner HouseThe application on the window of The Corner House (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Coniscliffe Road, for example, is set to undergo a roughly £940,000 redevelopment project aimed to boost town centre trade. 

The Corner House has a long history in the town, formerly being run as Frankies for 11 years until landlord Frank Bowman’s retirement in January 2020. 

Inside The Corner HouseInside The Corner House (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The pub, which wraps around Duke Street, became Fraser’s Bar in 2020, staying for a short stint before closing the doors. It then reopened as The Corner House on Good Friday 2024. 

At the launch, the pub manager told The Echo how there was a “gap in the market for a pub that doesn’t do disco and karaoke” in town, adding that he wanted to add “something different but classy” to the nightlife scene.


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A full statement from owner Daniel said: “The Corner House has applied for an outdoor pavement license to enhance the customer experience whilst enjoying the great British weather.

“It will be a complementary addition contributing to the cafe culture the council are keen to implement in the town centre.”

Darlington Council will now decide on the application.