Ale House pub Woodseats: Closed Sheffield pub could be transformed into childcare nursery

For years you had to be 18 to get in.

But now a Sheffield pub looks set to be transformed into a venue where most of those heading through the doors to the former bar will be aged five and under, with milk served rather than beer.

A planning application has been filed to Sheffield Council which would see the former Ale House pub, on Fraser Road, Woodseats, converted into a children's nursery.

Rather than barmen and barmaids, there would be around 18 full time and five part time childcare employees, with 75 youngsters expected to be looked after at the venue.

And opening and closing time will be pretty different to the traditional 11pm pub closing time, with the nursery planned to operate from 7am until 7pm Monday to Friday.

The proposals which have been lodged with the council this month are for a change of use of the former pub to a day nursery for children aged from three months up to five years.

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And the application from Early Years Care and Education Ltd would also see the building altered, with features like pram storage in the outside areas rather than smoking shelters associated with its days as a pub, as well as a 1.8 m high fence, sliding gate and landscaping works.

The company currently owns Riverview Day Nursery and Preschool, Highgate Day Nursery, The Little School House Nursery, Oak Valley Day Nursery and Kingswood Day Nursery, and are described in the planning application documents as 'dedicated to providing the highest quality care and education with an Ofsted 'Good' rating.

Their planning and design statement, with the application, adds: "The development proposals comprise a single storey building formerly a public house providing open plan nursery play areas with ancillary toilet facilities, kitchen area and office accommodation. The first floor to the two storey part is proposed to be a baby area."

They plan to replace the bar rooms with features including classroom and play areas that they say will be suitable for around 52 children

The building itself is not expected to look any different, according the the application.