A former Chesham florist is set to be turned into a nail bar and beauty salon.

Bucks Council has given the green light for the former Flower Box, in 32A High Street, to be converted.

According to online documents, the florist “suffered due to the pandemic” and has now left the premises.

The applicant, Kimberley Casey, owns that and the premises next door – a nail salon called Nailicious – and now wants to expand her businesses by putting both units together.

There will be no external material changes to the building. The timber shop front condition will be checked, and repair works carried out to damaged or rotten timbers only, the online document suggests.

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To integrate both units, Mrs Casey wants to open up two of the previously blocked up openings, which were infilled with blockwork. Other internal works involve removing modern timber studwork walls and toilet in number 32A, and the construction of new timber studwork walls, doors and frames with timber skirting or architraves.

No alterations will be made to the original building structure, the document confirms.

The salon’s proposed opening hours were 9am-6pm from Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 9am-8pm on Thursdays and 8am-6pm on Saturdays – but the decision notice from the council says it must not stay open past 6pm from Monday-Saturday (closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays) to “safeguard the amenities of nearby residential properties”.

Nailicious currently has three members of staff, with Mrs Casey hoping to employ another full-time and a part-time staff member, bringing the total to five.

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The online document confirms the staff would be local and that interviews have been carried out.

The document concludes: “The proposed mixed use of combining both shop units into the proposed nail, beauty salon and retail [unit] will ensure there is not another shop closed long-term in the High Street, which in turn will enhance the vitality of the town centre.”

Planning officers gave their go-ahead last Wednesday (June 9).