Fifty jobs could be created under Wednesbury banqueting hall plan

Akkas Sheikh, of Erdington, Birmingham, has been granted planning permission to revamp the buildings in Leabrook Road which have been empty for more than three years.

The new business would cater for wedding receptions and corporate, training and education events such as cooking and food hygiene courses.

It will also hold school functions including proms.

Mr Sheikh said: "Due to the increased popularity of school proms, the site will offer this evening facility to the four schools in close vicinity to the site. At the moment the schools have to use function premises out of the locality."

Guests will be welcomed by a grand entrance lined by tall columns which will lead into a main foyer area following into a main hall with a stage and rows of tables.

One of the vacant buildings will be converted into the banqueting hall and conference suite and the second will be used as storage and for overflow parking.

It would have a reception, large function room with a stage, kitchen, offices and meeting rooms.

Mr Sheikh, who has been granted permission for a change of use for three years, said the venue would have five full-time members of staff but will have a regular part time staff of 40 to 50 employees who will be called upon depending on events. Functions and events would run until 10.30pm.

More than 50 people signed a petition in support of the plans which was submitted to Sandwell Council.

It's the latest venue in the borough to be converted into a banqueting suite.

Work is under way to transform a landmark former cinema in the Tower Hill area of Great Barr into a banqueting suite.

It includes converting the upper balcony, where once there was seating, to a restaurant.

Cinema owner, Mohammed Mamunur Rashid, is behind the redevelopment plan which has won approval from Birmingham City Council earlier this year.

The building, in Walsall Road, has been targeted by vandals over the years. This included an arson attack in January 2012 which caused significant smoke and structure damage to the building within the main auditorium. It closed in 1979, and was converted into a bingo club, which continued to trade until August 2008 as a Gala Bingo Club.