Family beds and mattresses business Sound Sleep Beds has earmarked plans to expand into a larger store.

Sound Sleep Beds, which has stores across East Anglia, has submitted a planning application to Norwich City Council to take over an old bike shop at unit 51in the White Lodge Business Estate.

Under the proposals, the empty store will be converted into a new shop and showroom, with the business citing that it needs more space to expand displays to keep up with bigger retailers. It will relocate from its existing premises at six and seven Gilchrist.

The plans state: “Importantly, there is a clear market gap in the city centre for specialist bed retailers.

“The key competitors, Mattressman, Dreams, Bensons for Beds, Furniture Village and World of Beds are clustered in the Sprowston Retail Park and Roundtree Way areas, predominantly serving the north of Norwich.

“On the southern side of the city, only Sound Sleep Beds and Aldiss currently provide such retail offering, highlighting a geographic imbalance in provision.”