A NEW glamorous nightlife experience is coming to Colchester’s city centre, a planning application has revealed.

Jo Palmer-Tweed has sent a planning application to Colchester Council regarding Unit B at Foundation House, in Long Wyre Street.

The application concerns the former Unit B, the former Co-Operative Department Store loading bay in Long Wye Street which is a ground floor former retail building, which has been vacant for several years.

The application is for change of use from "retail" to a “show bar”.

Foundation House is owned by the East of England Co-op and in 2020, the site was transformed into a restaurant and retail units site in a £5.5 million redevelopment plan.

It also has 24 one and two-bed apartments.

Romano Lounge - the main flagship restaraunt at Foundation HousePopular - Romano Lounge is the main flagship restaraunt at Foundation House and will neighbour the new nightclub (Image: Newsquest)

If the planning application goes through, unit B will see internal building works take place.

Wall divides will be added to create spaces for an office, cloakroom, dressing room, quiet space, storeroom, toilets and a bar area.

The proposal includes the "construction of a facade in keeping with neighbouring buildings, in particular The Romano Lounge".

The building is currently boarded and has three open apertures with no current sports or glazing.

This in effort to make way for The Dragonfly Lounge, an "LGBTQ+ focused" venue providing a space for the community to meet, express themselves, and feel welcomed.

It will be a dedicated bar and club which will offer "high-quality drinks, activities, club nights, and cabaret shows".

All people are welcome as long as you stick to a core rule – "be kind and take care of each other".

If plans go through and the site opens next year, it will host activities such as drag afternoon tea, cabaret shows, artist residencies, club nights in a safe environment, bingo, quizzes, parties, and a space for groups to host events.

It will also be a space for The Dragonfly Lounge workshops and its forthcoming “School of Drag”.

Jo is the co-founder of The Dragonfly Lounge alongside Dan Deller-Thompson, the current chairman of Colchester Pride.

She said: “We're thrilled to be launching The Dragonfly Lounge in Colchester.

“The project, a new drag show bar, has been in the making for the last eighteen months and is generating a good deal of excitement. 

“We firmly believe that this venue will be a positive addition to Colchester's night-time economy.

“We look forward to welcoming the public through our doors in early March next year.”

To find out more about The Dragonfly Lounge, visit facebook.com/dragonflyloungedrag.