UNCERTAINTY over plans to redevelop a passage building in Petersfield has left a shadow hanging over a restaurateur and florist.

Fez owner Bilsen Gonul is concerned about the future of her Bazaar cafe as two separate bids to demolish and replace her rented Bakery Lane premises are in the pipeline.

The landlord wants to demolish the single-storey buildings housing tenants Bazaar and the Blacksmith’s Daughter because they’re in a poor state of repair.

An application to build a two-storey building with retail space below a two-bedroom apartment was submitted and rejected in 2021 after attracting around 200 objections.

But that scheme has gone to appeal while a revised application, not opposed by the council’s conservation officer, that was submitted in May has yet to be determined.

Bilsen only learnt of the appeal a few days before Christmas and claims she couldn’t contact anyone in the planning department because of the festive break.

All the previous comments will be reviewed by a planning inspector but with today (Thursday, January 11) being the deadline for new submissions, she fears not enough people have been given the chance to give further thoughts. The landlord also has another fortnight to make final comments, adding to her concerns.

“I’m begging the landlord; this is my livelihood,” said Bilsen, whose adjacent Fez restaurant hosted Fiona Bruce and the BBC Question Time team on December 7.

“I have built this business up with my nails. It was a record shop before I opened Bazaar and it was just after the financial crash, so building it up hasn’t been easy.

“There’s been a very short timeframe with the appeal and we are all very anxious, and not just me. Bazaar is a landmark of Petersfield and me and Kristina (Cousen, of the Blacksmith’s Daughter) are very worried.”