A VACANT city centre retail unit will be given a new lease of life, if the council give the green light to a planning application from a UK travel agency.

Plans were submitted last week to refurbish the former Jack Wills retail unit on 17-19 English Street into a Trailfinders store.

Trailfinders is a travel company founded by a former SAS officer Mike Gooley in 1970, who describe themselves as 'experts in tailormaking itineraries worldwide'.

The company currently has around 1,000 staff in 43 travel centres across the UK and Ireland.

A design and access statement supporting the plans said: "The building was previously occupied by Jack Wills and has been acquired by Trailfinders Ltd, who own several listed buildings throughout the UK including St Albans, Canterbury, Exeter and most recently completed Glasgow.

"The building is currently vacant, it is intended to carry out refurbishment and alterations."

The plans will include the refurbishment of the existing retail unit and installation of a new shopfront including awning.

The refurbishment will include a number of changes to the building thought to have its origins in the 19th century.

This will include the redecoration of the shopfront, new signage (subject to a separate Display of Advertisements application), the internal refurbishment and fitting out of the ground floor retail area, staff areas which reach up to the first floor and new HVAC equipment and ductwork, according to documents submitted by the applicant.

The design and access statement said: "The shopfront will be redesigned to achieve a classic Victorian aesthetic. The new timber shopfront will be decorated in Dulux Weathershield Black.

"It will also be decorated with Trailfinders brand colours, as detailed in our separate Display of Advertisements application, two new electric awnings are proposed, which will be inserted flush within the existing fascia."

The application is now in a consultation stage with Cumberland Council before it is determined.