PLANS to turn the old Dunfermline Post Office into a bar and restaurant will create up to 30 jobs.

City Hotels Ltd said the historic building on Queen Anne Street, which has been closed for almost three years, will be able to cater for up to 900 customers if their ambitious proposals get the go-ahead.

The plans include dining for 180 people and a further 50 outside in a garden courtyard area, which will have a retractable roof and outdoor heating.

A planning statement on behalf of the company said: "The proposed opening hours are Monday to Sunday, 10am to 12am, and will provide approximately 180 covers internally, an additional 50 garden covers, with a maximum capacity of 900 people and provide employment to between 20 and 30 part-time staff members."

It added that the "decorative external features" of the category B-listed building would be maintained.

City Hotels Ltd have now applied to Fife Council for permission to change the use of the property, with drawings including a pizza kitchen with 60 covers.

There will also be a private dining room while the toilets, staff room and manager's office would be on the first floor.

The building dates back to the 19th century and a decision to close Dunfermline Post Office was made in October 2016 after a six-week public consultation and review.

Services moved to WH Smith on High Street in March 2017, with the building vacant from then on.

We broke the news in October that it had been bought by the City Hotel Group.

At the time, a spokesperson said: “As an active company in the leisure market in and around Dunfermline, we already successfully operate a wide range of facilities, including the City Hotel in Dunfermline and the Adamsons Hotel in Crossford, both of which we have invested heavily in upgrading.

"Our experience has shown us that patrons appreciate the improved quality of what we now provide, and we see a similar opportunity for the magnificent post office building to complement what we already offer.

"We are of the opinion that having a facility providing good-quality food and drink, as well as accommodation for tourists who are coming to Dunfermline in greater numbers, would be a fitting use for this old building."

The spokesperson added: "We are very much aware of the building’s history, with Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, having laid the foundation stone for the post office in 1861, and we aim to incorporate elements of this history in the fabric of the refurbished facility.

"We are happy to work with history and heritage groups, such as Dunfermline Regeneration Trust and the charity, Yes-U-Are, which is currently renovating and refurbishing the nearby St Andrew's Erskine Church building, to ensure we come up with the right balance in taking this project forward."