By Chris Carter 

The plan was submitted to East Herts Council (EHC) last month for the former Barclays Bank branch in Knight Street, sparking a mixed reaction.

A drawing of the front of the building included in documents for the application showed it with the name The Vault. That sparked a post on the Sawbridgeworth Facebook group that it might have been submitted by the owners of The Vault in Shenfield.

The suggestion was based on the fact that the Shenfield restaurant and wine bar was converted from a former Nat West bank and the venue’s website stated there was a new Vault venue coming in Hertfordshire.

But when the Indie contacted the Shenfield restaurant, managing director Sam Bird stressed his company had nothing to do with the Sawbridgeworth plan. He further added he was unhappy the name The Vault might be used and was contemplating taking legal action to prevent it.

Mr Bird said his company’s new venue was planned for the Enfield area.

The plan for the comedy/live music club in Knight Street attracted scores of comments on Facebook, with the majority welcoming such a venue coming to the town.

But a group of neighbours to the building attended Sawbridgeworth Town Council’s planning committee last month to air their strong objections to the plan, which they feared would create noise and disturbance.

The town council’s planning committee criticised the application for lacking detail and encouraged the applicant to go back to the drawing board.