The former home of a quirky cafe on a busy high street is set to go under the hammer for the second time in seven months.

The Boho Cafe Bar site in the heart of Canterbury closed in 2020 after struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic.

The Grade II-listed building was previously owned by the historic neighbouring Eastbridge Hospital Trust, which sold it at auction last November for £400,000.

Now the premises is on the market again and is due to go back to auction with a guide price of £350,000.

Plans to turn the historic building into a nail bar with a “more modern and appealing” shopfront were blasted as “horrendous” last month.

Clive Bowley of the Canterbury Heritage Design Forum group , which seeks to preserve the city’s architectural history and integrity, slated the scheme, saying: “The proposal is horrendous and we are very concerned about it.

“The building is Georgian and its existing shopfront was installed in 1906, but the modern aluminium glazing being proposed is totally inappropriate.

“We have been trying to preserve our traditional shopfronts and this would be completely wrong in this historic setting.”

The new owners of the High Street site had applied for listed building consent to rip out the existing Victorian-style frontage and replace it with aluminium glazing as part of alterations for the new business.

And less than two months after those proposals were submitted, it has been confirmed the property is set to go back under the hammer – risking a loss of up to £50,000 for the current owners.

Auctioneers Clive Emson describe 27 High Street as “an attractive three-storey mid-terrace property situated in a prime central location in the heart of the city”.

Potential owners can expect to have access to three floors, including a kitchen, toilets and accommodation on the top floor. The property also has an enclosed courtyard.

It has not been confirmed whether the nail bar plans are continuing to go ahead despite the sale of the building.

Boho Cafe Bar, which was a popular eatery and music venue, closed in July 2020 after being hit hard by lockdowns during the pandemic.

It had been a fixture on the high street, with one supporter describing it as “part of the furniture”.

The auction will take place virtually with bidding set to commence on May 2.