A CAMPAIGN group trying to save a Ribble Valley pub is facing a D-Day.

The Duke of York closed last year leaving the village of Grindleton without a pub, leaving the village hall as the only communal place.

Villagers set up Grindleton Community Pub Ltd, aiming to turn the hostelry into a community pub and cafe. But there is also a plan to turn the building into a home.

In March, Judith Douglas Town Planning Limited submitted plans on behalf of an applicant to change the use of the pub into a residential property. Ribble Valley Council’s planning committee will meet on June 25 to decide if the owner has been successful after residential plans were refused last year.

Chris Grainger of the community pub group said: “We have known for a few months that he would put plans again.

“His plans have changed as he is not altering the outside of the building which is the reason it was rejected last time.

“We still very much want the building to be a pub.

“One of the main points of the application to turn it into a home is that there was no commercial interest in it being a pub but we have put in an offer which is more than he paid for it.

“We feel have put on a reasonable offer.

“The council have to decide whether anybody has put in a realistic offer to run the pub or if it is unacceptable to have a house instead.”

Mr Grainger added that there should be enough demand for a pub in the village, which has a second vacant pub, The Buck Inn.

He said: “There is no other pub open in the village and it would be a social setting for people.

“It would be inclusive for everyone and we are promoting it as having a small shop or cafe during the day that people could visit.

“There are a lot of people who are working from home even before Covid-19 and a cafe would be a place where people can work out of the house and enjoy a coffee.”

In the planning statement by Judith Douglas Town Planning. It said: “The proposed re-use of the pub and manager’s accommodation as a single dwelling, is the optimal viable use for this designated heritage asset.

“There is an alternative pub which is closed and for sale and no proposals for alternative uses have been put forward for that building.

“The permanent closure of the Duke of York will increase the viability of the Buck Inn by reducing perceived competition and the village also benefits from The Pavilion so that the community is not disadvantaged.”