A vacant shop on Batchen Street in Elgin could be given a new lease of life after a building warrant lodged with Moray Council revealed plans to convert the unit into a chocolate shop.
The application, submitted on 7 October, covers internal alterations at the premises at 21 Batchen Street, which until recently housed Alluring Boutique, a women’s fashion retailer that had occupied the space since August 2017.
Local operator behind the plans
The works are proposed by local businessman Daniel Brujban. The listed work on the building warrant carries an estimated cost of £5,000, although the application does not include an opening date or further commercial details about the proposed chocolate business.
Mr Brujban is already active in Elgin’s food and hospitality scene. His current operations include 19 Crepes and Coffee on Batchen Street and the Roast’d Oven and Grill food truck, both of which are well known locally. The proposed conversion would add a retail confectionery element to his local portfolio.
High street context and the loss of Alluring Boutique
The Batchen Street unit became available after the owner of Alluring Boutique, Deborah Smethurst, announced in August that she had taken an "incredibly difficult decision" to close the business. In her statement Ms Smethurst cited significant changes to the retail landscape and the challenges she faced despite investing substantial effort in the shop.
"I made the incredibly difficult decision to bring the business to an end,"
Alluring Boutique had traded from the Batchen Street premises since 2017 and built a customer base extending well beyond Moray. The shop operated online and counted customers in countries including Denmark, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France and Australia, as well as across the UK.
What the application shows
- Address: 21 Batchen Street, Elgin
- Applicant: Daniel Brujban
- Work proposed: Internal alterations to convert the vacant unit for use as a chocolate shop
- Estimated cost: £5,000
- Opening date: Not yet confirmed
The description on the building warrant is limited to internal work; it does not specify the scale of any shopfitting, staffing plans or whether chocolate production would be on site or supplied externally. As with most planning and building warrant records, further planning applications or licensing requirements could follow if the project progresses.
Implications for Elgin’s high street
Batchen Street has seen a succession of independent traders over recent years and closures of familiar names have attracted local concern about the vitality of Elgin town centre. A new food or retail outlet in a central location could bring additional footfall, but the success of such ventures typically depends on a combination of local demand, visitor trade and the broader retail environment.
For residents and observers interested in the planning status of the proposal, building warrant records lodged with Moray Council are the public record and further details may appear if the applicant seeks planning permission, a change of use or any premises licences in due course.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Premises | 21 Batchen Street |
| Former occupant | Alluring Boutique (since August 2017) |
| Applicant | Daniel Brujban |
| Estimated cost | £5,000 |
At present there is no confirmation of a timescale for the works or an opening date. Locally, the proposal will be watched by fellow traders and residents keen to see whether the arrival of another food business will strengthen Batchen Street’s retail offer or alter shopping patterns in the town.
