A landmark Cotswold entertainment venue which dates back to 1833 has fired the starter gun for a plan for al fresco business which would see the creation of a European piazza-style square for food, drink and entertainment at its entrance.

Jointly owned since 2019 by Stroud Town Council and the Stroud Subscription Rooms Trust, the venue has floated the initial idea for a project which it plans to put before Ebley Mill.

If the planning authority backed the work, the venue's forecourt would utilise space identified as being under-exploited.

A public consultation stage is planned, Hugh Phillimore, director of the Sub Rooms told Punchline-Gloucester.com, before any contractors would be engaged – but an early outline for the plan, leaked to local press, had led to misunderstanding over the process.

A spokesperson added: "As regards a timescale, we have not yet come up with a specific plan; it would go to consulation before contractors are appointed and be paid for by the charity trust, not by taxpayers. There is some street light maintenance going on today outside our venue and some anxious people have already approached us, mistakenly thinking the work for this has started."

The proposal set to go before planners stated: "Since its transfer to public ownership in 2019, The Sub Rooms has undergone significant physical and organisational transformation. With essential refurbishments completed and a growing core team, we have redefined ourselves as a cornerstone of Stroud's cultural landscape; offering an eclectic programme of music, arts, food, community events, and grassroots initiatives."

The venue consequently has greater magnetism for big names, having recently drawn such major names as Lulu, Rufus Wainwright and Van Morrison, "while maintaining an unshakeable commitment to emerging local talent and community access, combining to see us now welcoming over 50,000 visitors a year".

While currently used for outdoor café furniture when the weather allows, the document sets out how the space is largely underused and lacks "the necessary infrastructure to be used to its full potential as a space that can be accessed by the whole community; both customers of The Sub Rooms, the general public and other local organisations and small businesses".

It added: "The Trust wants to provide an outdoor area that will be safer for outdoor events (especially those with younger children) and could facilitate the holding of outdoor events such as films and gigs. The covered area would add some shelter from both sun and rain, mitigating the reasons some events have been cancelled in the past. It's inevitable there will be many who object to any change, though the landscape in front of the Subscription Rooms has changed many times over the years.

No costs or timescale are available, the venue added.

Stroud and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce told Punchline that it had been aware of these plans at a recent meeting of town stakeholders.

A spokesperson said: "The Trust wants to provide an outdoor area that will be safer for outdoor events (especially those with younger children) and could facilitate the holding of outdoor events such as films and gigs.

"The covered area would add some shelter from both sun and rain, mitigating the reasons some events have been cancelled in the past."

They added that objections would be likely: "It's inevitable there will be many who object to any change, though the landscape in front of the Subscription Rooms has changed many times over the years.

"The intention is, as we understand it, to improve footfall in the town, which we hope will extend to productive footfall beyond the site for the benefit of the wider town. This development would need to go through the planning process, where we're sure many will share their views."