AN ENTREPRENEUR, who hopes to turn a part of Old Town into a ‘continental culinary haven’, has defended her attempts to alter an empty shop’s retail license to a French bistro.

Shareen Campbell, owner of Los Gatos, is currently in talks with Swindon Council to change the Wood Street shop, which has been empty for six years and lies directly beside her restaurant. She proposes to name the new bistro Les Chats, retaining a feline theme.

However, in order to move in, Shareen will have to convince the council to remove a covenant that it placed on the shop in 2006 which would not allow it to switch from a retail outlet to a restaurant or bar in the centuries’ old street.

The covenant exists to ensure a good mix of retail and food outlets in Wood Street.

Shareen, who has lived in Old Town for 25 years, said she thinks turning Wood Street into a restaurant district would not be a bad thing.

She said: “I think encouraging good food in Swindon is a positive thing.

“Swindon is one of the places in the country to not be mentioned in the Good Food Guide.

“Although people are cooking good food in Swindon, at the moment I don’t believe it’s being encouraged.”

Referring to a recent Adver story highlighting how a shop which had been a pharmacy for 150 years but which is now likely to become an Indian restaurant, she said that Swindon has to move along with the times.

The restaurateur, who has been running Los Gatos for four years, said: “There are some things that have changed in Swindon that I regret and others that I have agreed with, but these are new times and we must adapt.

“For example, a computer shop simply could not have opened 150 years ago because they didn’t exist.

“Although I do regret not having a butcher, a fishmonger or a delicatessen in Old Town, you also have to look at what is viable.”

However other shop-owners have expressed concern about the balance tipping in favour of bars and restaurants in Wood Street.

Ivor Read, owner of Red Planet Bikes, said he hopes for a return to more retail outlets.

He said: “I prefer a good mix of upmarket shops and restaurants.

“At the moment there is a good mix, but I would prefer the balance to be slightly on the retail side and it doesn’t seem to be going that way.

“We already have enough food and drink outlets.

“I think we need more shops to support shops like ourselves, Deacons and Bang & Olufson.

“I understand there is a need to fill empty shops, but I think the council should stick to its own planning guidelines, which it assured us only last year that it would do.”

Meanwhile Enzo Conglio, owner of Mario’s Ristorante, said if the council and Old Town Business and Professional Association were not careful Wood Street will ‘sleepwalk’ its way into becoming an eatery district.

He said: “If these shops turn into restaurants and bars they will never change back.”

People want decent food at decent prices

A NEW French bistro in Wood Street would include seating for 30 along with fresh French bread and a patisserie.

Shareen Campbell, owner of Los Gatos, said the new restaurant, named Les Chats, would serve classic simple dishes with good ingredients and lots of French wines at decent prices.

And although she said the bistro would not have a separate bar area like Los Gatos, she said it would serve afternoon tea, coffee, pastries and imported French beer.

She said: “We will keep the venue straight forward and simple – we are not trying to make it a Michelin three star.

“I think what people want is decent food at a decent price with decent ingredients.”

She added that the restaurant will also look at selling real French baguettes and breads.

laura Hunt, former owner of Nine in Old Town said she was happy to see a restaurant taking over a shop that has been disused for years.

She said: “Anything that brings people into Wood Street has got to be a good thing I think it will really brighten up the place.”