The macabre history of Bradford’s former city morgue could go up in a cloud of smoke if plans are successful to turn it into a shisha lounge and cocktail bar.

Former medical engineer and Bradford entrepreneur, Naser Iqbal, 30, snapped up the building in Wilton Street at auction for well below the guide price of £100,000.

He now wants to give it a complete revamp – to create a welcoming venue for everybody to pop in for a stiff drink.

Mr Iqbal, who lives in Bradford city centre, said: “This is a totally new project for me. I have no history of doing anything like this.

But I go to a lot of bars locally and just wanted to have one of my own.

“I am planning an urban lounge concept with a cocktail bar and finger food and a shisha lounge outside in the courtyard.”

The 1,270 sq ft mortuary – in the dead centre of Bradford’s West End – was used for more than 50 years to keep bodies before burial or cremation.

Bradford Council put it up for auction in November last year and Mr Iqbal bought it in December.

At the time, auctioneers Pugh & Company described it as “a quirky property”.

Mr Iqbal initially wanted to turn it into offices but following discussions with architects, he decided to apply for planning permission for a bar and shisha lounge.

In its new lease of life, it would provide a welcoming atmosphere where only the Champagne will be on ice and the only spirits served will be of the liquid kind.

Mr Iqbal said: “We are trying to get away from the mortuary idea because some people have a negative perception.

“The building comes with a history but I have family who have worked in hospitals and I worked at Imperial College Hospital in London for a long time myself, so it doesn’t worry me at all.”