The couple behind a craft beer taproom and bottle shop at Helsby Railway Station want to open premises in Chester city centre.

Carl and Kelly Ball have applied for planning permission to set up a craft beer bottle shop with a sampling area within the former Tilly’s sweet shop in Watergate Street.

The husband and wife team already run Beer Heroes at Helsby Railway Station which is also an online business.

Kelly said on the planning application form for the Chester venture that change of use was required to allow the dual function of A1 (retail) and A4 (drinking establishment).

The former sweet shop at 26 Watergate Street, Chester, is the location for the proposed new craft ale retailer.

She wrote: “The shop will be predominantly selling craft beer by retail with the additional option of sampling beers in store. The building has the unique layout of the front of the shop being an ideal space for shelving the bottles and cans of craft beer along with the serving/till area.”

“The rear of the property is made up of two arches which would make for ideal additional shelving for the beer along with a benched seating area for customers to sample beers which would require a dual A1 and A4 use.”

A second toilet would be installed at the rear of the property.

Kelly added: “It will primarily be a bottle shop with the chance to sample and try whilst buying and the opportunity to sit in for a while. Our customers and target market are young professionals who are happy to pay a little bit more for a premium product whilst also providing tourists with the opportunity to buy locally-produced beers.”

The Beer Heroes shop and taproom at Helsby Train Station

According to Kelly, the Cheshire West and Chester Council owners ‘have no objection to the proposed assignment’ within the department marketing the unit. But a decision is awaited on planning consent and the licensing application which seeks permission to supply alcohol on and off the premises, Monday to Sunday, 10am to 11pm.

The Beer Heroes website says its mission is simple: “To save the world from bland, boring beer. By day we are lovers of awesome, uncomplicated craft beer. By night, we are lovers of awesome uncomplicated craft beer.”

Their Helsby Station Bottle Shop and Tap Rooms in Cheshire, which opens Thursday to Sunday, offers eight craft beers on tap plus more than 300 in bottles and cans to drink in or takeaway.