Office space above an empty Barclays bank on Kingston Hill could become a two bedroom flat, writes David Gazet.

But the future of the bank, shut in 2012 and sold to Blakes Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents in Surbiton, is still unclear nearly two years on.

Blakes director Roshan Sivapalan said: "We are trying to improve the area and street scene by making alterations to the shop front and bring the unit back into office use.

“The second and third floor maisonette has been refurbished to a high standard. We propose to change the first floor into a self contained flat which will be two beds and two baths and also of a high specification.”

A small section of the empty store was leased to Barclays by next door Rozana Indian restaurant.

Though this space has now been reclaimed, manager Kris Melchiori is looking forward to seeing another business moving in.

He said: “I don’t think that the area needs another bookkeepers and the site isn’t big enough for a supermarket.

“There are plenty of small shops, I can see three from where I am sitting."

But Mr Melchiori said he did not think the bank would stay vacant for long with small businesses making a come-back from the recession.

He said: "It is an area that has changed of the last five or six years. More families are moving into the area because of the good schools."

Kethees Kanagasabai who works at Buvan stores, said: “I hope they know what to do with it. I don’t want it to be a supermarket or a betting shop.”