A vacant Pizza Hut restaurant on the Wessex Fields business park in Frome, Somerset, could soon take on a new life as a tanning salon, pending approval from Somerset Council.
The site, located at Unit 1 of Enterprise House, was home to Pizza Hut until its closure in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. Following Pizza Hut’s departure, the space was occupied briefly by Dough & Co pizza company before they left in 2022.
Now, Consol Ltd. has submitted plans to transform the premises into a tanning salon. The proposal envisions the ground floor as the customer-facing salon, while the first floor would remain available for storage or accommodation consistent with the site’s original planning permissions.
Enterprise House currently hosts a variety of tenants including Frome’s KFC, a police enquiry desk, and a Dorothy House Hospice Care furniture store.
Representing the applicant, Boon Brown Architects highlighted that the unit benefits from a shared customer car park with ample parking capacity. The tanning salon is expected to generate employment for 10 to 12 people across various roles.
Operating hours are planned to align with customer convenience—weekdays from 7am to 9:30am, noon to 1:30pm, and 5pm to 8:30pm—with visitors mainly coming during commute times or lunch breaks. Many customers will combine their visit with trips to nearby retailers, encouraging sustainable travel and minimizing additional car journeys.
The change of use is not anticipated to significantly increase traffic to the site.
The Wessex Fields commercial area is set for expansion alongside the adjacent Keyford Meadows housing development, which is currently building 198 homes. Recent council approvals include a new Home Bargains store on Oakley Way expected to create around 100 jobs, with plans for additional food retailers south of the park.
Looking further ahead, the potential Selwood Garden Community could bring up to 1,700 homes and further commercial development to Frome’s southern edge, pending a housing secretary’s decision following a recent public inquiry.
Somerset Council’s final decision on the tanning salon application is expected by spring 2026, marking a new chapter for the former Pizza Hut premises.