HEREFORD’S Left Bank could be a showcase for the city’s fortunes again by the end of this week.

Negotiations over new opening hours for the venue continue ahead of a licensing hearing on Thursday.

Applicant Gary Waring said an agreement with the licensing authorities on the hours was “getting there”.

Shut since 2010, the Left Bank, on Bridge Street, was bought in January this year by the Lively family through its Cathedral View investment business.

The lease was subsequently bought by the Waring family who run Lyde Court.

As pitched, the Waring re-launch plan restores the venue as an event and conference host with the potential for a pop up restaurant and top floor terrace bar.

The Left Bank was originally opened in 2000 by the late Dutch businessman Dr Albert Heijn. It was soon the city’s “go to” showcase venue.

Dr Heijn put the site on the market six years later with a £5 million guide price.

Croft Plc bought the Left Bank for an estimated £3.95 million, in 2007, leasing the site to Esquire Holdings.

Seven months later, Left Bank Village Ltd, a company set up to run the venue, went into liquidation before the site was re-leased to Esquire.

The Left Bank shut in January 2009 with debts of around £400,000 when Esquire went bust, before a consortium of directors took over its operation.

The business shut for a second time in the run up to Christmas 2010 and has stayed shut since.