A BAR and restaurant in a fondly-remembered old department store has gone on the market for £1.5million.

The old Ravens store, in Clifftown Road, Southend, has been listed on Rightmove for £1.5 million, with estate agents Dedman Gray marketing it as a lucrative deal.

The ground floor and first floor of Ravens was turned into a bar and restaurant in 2017, also called Ravens, following the closure of the family business.

The new owners were forced to scale back the bar as a result of the Covid pandemic and were only using the ground floor of the building, which is next to the Last Post Wetherspoons’ pub.

Plans for student accommodation made up of 22 student rooms to be built on the upper floors was granted by Southend Council last year.

As part of the agreed planning permission, the basement and ground floor would continue to be used for commercial activities and the construction of a third storey would allow three floors of student housing, right near Southend Central c2c station.

Milton ward Labour councillor, Maxine Sadza, believes the sale presents a good step forward in delivering much-needed student accommodation but she also wanted to see added protection for the look and feel of the street.

Dedman Gray say on the listing that the projected gross income on the building would be £230,000 for the 22 flats and an estimated £45,000 for the commercial space.

Ravens closed down at the end of October, 2017 after 120 years serving customers in Southend.

Speaking at the time, Neil Raven, the current managing director of the store and the fourth generation of the family to run the business, said: “My family and I are proud to have been a part of Southend’s history.

“We have built many personal relationships with our customers over the years and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal staff, customers and suppliers without whom we couldn’t have continued or been so successful.”