MORE than 250 residents in Tintern, near Chepstow, have signed a petition to save their local pub.

The village is divided over plans to turn one of its pubs, The Cherry Tree Inn, owned by Stephen and Jill Pocock into two homes.

The couple, both 49, say the pub was not economically viable and closed its doors in December last year. But local residents, members of the Save The Cherry Tree campaign and the real ale organisation CAMRA, say it is vital to the community of the Angiddy Valley and should be sold to someone who will re-open it.

The petition signed by 253 people- the majority from Tintern, as well as Llandogo, Brockweir, Chepstow and St Arvans argue the pub on the outskirts of the village is an important historic community resource that has served the community for 400 years.

The couple say they have struggled to keep the business going financially since buying it in 2000 and have failed to find a buyer since putting it up for sale in 2004. They reduced the asking price from £560,000 to £400,000.

The council’s planning committee visited the site earlier this week ahead of its meeting on Tuesday at County Hall at which the council’s planning officer will recommend refusal on the grounds that it would lead to the loss of a community resource, for which there is no convenient alternative, and suggest that a realistic price might attract a new publican.