A Premier League champion wants to open a restaurant and bar in Macclesfield.

Professional footballer Jonny Evans (33) wants to start a business on Chestergate, according to an application submitted via Cheshire East Council.

The proposal states a "conversion of a shop and cafe into a bar and restaurant with associated facilities," for the address on 44-48 Chestergate, Macclesfield, SK11 6BA.

The company which submitted the application is Jonny Evans Limited, for which the defender is a director for under his full name Jonathan Grant Evans.

The professional footballer, who currently plays for Leicester City, has three companies to his name, however, this is his first venture concerning Macclesfield.

Live music and event hire will be offered at the venue, if plans proceed.

Cheshire East councillors will decide next month if the former Manchester United player's venture will go ahead.

"The Bar and Restaurant concept is to provide a 'destination venue' that attracts people into Macclesfield Town Centre," said a publicly submitted planning document.

"The first floor will be a restaurant providing high to mid-range meals while also providing a venue for events such as weddings.

"The second floor will have the floor boarding removed (mostly later additions) with the original timber beams and joists retained.

"The first floor restaurant space will therefore be double height."

An opening date has not yet been specified, as plans have to be approved or denied by Cheshire East councillors later this year.

Another planning document said: "The site is located in Macclesfield Town Centre, facing Chestergate to the front and Stanley Street to the rear."

"The site comprises of a café at 44 Chestergate, a shop unit at 46 – 48 Chestergate Street, a former mill/warehouse building that has been incorporated into 46 Chestergate and an office unit at 48a Chestergate which is annexed to Stanley Mill to the rear.

"The buildings have consistently been retail units for decades, and now may be changed from a shop and cafe into a bar."

The Grade II listed buildings have three storeys at number 48, and the two storeys at numbers 44 and 46. They will be mostly retained if plans go ahead, but with partial demolition.

A document assessing the heritage status of these buildings and part of the old Stanley Mill in regards to the application said: "There will be some minor loss of building fabric in forming the openings required for circulation between the buildings.

"However the 'harm' caused is off-set by the long term use and protection of the buildings effected by this development.

"The elements noted in the heritage listing are protected and are not effected by the works. The public benefit is therefore reasonable justification for the works."

Stanley Mill dates back to at least the early 1800s and would provide a unique setting for a drink or meal.

Should plans go ahead, the bar and eatery would compliment the nearby Button Warehouse, into the gentrification of Chestergate.

A Mr Jackie Evans has submitted the application in their name on Evans' behalf.

You can currently comment and view more about the application on the Cheshire East website.

The public can leave comments until November 3, and a decision on whether the proposed bar will go ahead will be heard on November 25.

Macclesfield Nub News has contacted Evans' representatives for comment.

Wayne Sutton, Committee Member for Manchester United Supporters Club - Macclesfield Branch was delighted with Evans looking to invest in Macclesfield town centre.

"It is great for the town centre that more investment is coming," said Wayne.

"From a United supporter's point of view, it is very good to see ex-players investing in a local area."

Evans won the Premier League three times with Manchester United, for which he played for from 2006-2015.

"We actually wouldn't mind him back to be fair," joked Wayne.

The Macclesfield Manchester United supporter added: "As a player he was very successful for us, and he's been so elsewhere.

"He still is a fan favourite and seen as one of our own."

You can follow Manchester United Supporters Club - Macclesfield Branch on Facebook.

Jonny Evans has for Leicester City since 2018, playing once this season in the UEFA Europa League.

The footballer has been capped over 91 times for Northern Ireland, scoring four goals. He was in the squad which got to the last 16 in Euro 2016.

Also in Macclesfield, opposite Evans' proposed bar and restaurant on Chestergate, renovation has started for a new cake and patisserie, which already has planning approval.

Please click here to read more about that.

Got a small business to promote in Macclesfield? List it for FREE on our Local List.

Macclesfield: Have you signed up for our Friday weekly newsletter containing each week's top 10 Macclesfield news stories, and one FREE exclusive article?

670 of you have signed up already. Simply enter your email address into the shaded box below.

Free from pop-up ads, or unwanted surveys, Macclesfield Nub News is a quality online newspaper which produces 25-30 stories a week for our town.

You can also find us on Facebook or Twitter.