A Cheswardine man has voiced his concerns about the future of a historic pub in the village.
Bernard Lazarus called on parish councillors to help safeguard the Fox and Hounds pub in High Street at a parish council meeting last week.
It is believed that the pub was built in the 18th century, making it one of the oldest buildings in the village.
However, it is currently up for sale and Bernard fears that the new owners may de-licence it and convert it into residential accommodation.
“I am very concerned about the future of the Fox and Hounds,” Bernard said.
“It is going to be de-licensed and I feel that as a private property, with the way things stand at the moment, there is nothing to stop that happening.
“If we lose that, we are losing a very important feature of the village.
“For me, it would be a tragedy for Cheswardine.”
Bernard urged parish councillors to look into making the pub a listed building and suggested that the area in the village, around St Swithin’s Church, should be made a conservation area.
“There are only two listed buildings in the village, the church and the Old Hall,” Bernard said.
“We need to get an order, preventing destruction of the Fox and Hounds, because it is a very important feature of our village.
“The village shop goes back to 1796 and it is obvious to me that the Fox and Hounds pre-dates that.
“It is easy to forget these things and if we are not careful, we are going to lose that building if we do not do something now.
“We should save it as a building of historic interest and I have never understood why the area around the church was not made a conservation area.”
Parish councillors are set to discuss the future of the Fox and Hounds when they meet next month.
