Planning applications by the Watershed have been granted with conditions. Within a compound advertising application by the Watershed, 26/11915/A, (which was accompanied by a listed building application, 26/12152/LA), one of the proposals involves a digital display overlooking the Waterfront. In this post we focus on this screen. The applications were granted as a whole on 3rd September 2026.
The new screen (2500x1500mm) is proposed to be mounted externally in the bay with existing timber cladding, set between the bay containing Watershed Reception, and the new Undershed Tap-Room counter bay, in the arcade. [Our featured image above is from planning documents and fails to show tables, chairs, the projecting bar signs and the illuminated posters on the end wall.]
The application stated that ‘this will be used to display Watershed’s cinema programme and other events and offers in the building.’ The screen is to be set 1m above the ground, table-top level for seated drinkers using the downstairs bar on the Waterfront. Although supposedly for film posters, but nothing will prevent it showing sports or anything else. The Arcade is only circa 7m wide so we were baffled as to why a 1.5m by 2.5m screen is necessary. Its light will undoubtedly escape the arcade and be visible on Narrow Quay and the “Under the Stars” boat-café (as is clear in our image on the right) . The only question is how brightly and how legibly?
To compare this with our other two other digital application comments, the TV equivalent size is 115 inches and the screen area of 3.75 square metres is considerably greater than that applied for by BT for its street hubs across the City Centre, but much smaller than the D48 monopoles in the streets (18.0m2 / 264 inches).
In summary:
- We’d rate this location for such a large screen as highly questionable on amenity grounds for the Undershed tap-room’s own seated customers set in the same and adjacent bays of the arcade, with the screen operating right in their faces.
- The grade-listing context is the whole building, the harbour walls below it and the hotel and College-Green houses behind as backdrop.
- It cannot possibly be deemed to conserve or enhance the conservation area.
- Finally, it sets a precedent for all the other bars on the E-shed side of the Harbour.
The application was granted in September, subject to restrictions known as “conditions”.
Stephen Wickham