Village fight over pub conversion

The community council and residents in the village of Llangwm, near Usk, have formed an action group to save the Bridge Inn.

The group said the community already had no shop, post office or school, and it would fight the plans.

A relative of the pub's owners said it was not financially viable and had been for sale for 18 months.

There has been a public house in the village for about 100 years, but just before Christmas residents discovered that a planning application had been submitted to Monmouthshire council.

Campaigners said they offered to buy the business and run it themselves, but they were turned down.

'Local support'

Bridge Inn Action Network chairman Professor Peter Hines said: "We strongly believe that the Bridge Inn is a crucial local amenity for the Llangwm and local community.

"Should the business be converted into a private dwelling it will be at a serious cost to the local community and its sustainability.

"The Bridge Inn represents our last local commercial facility. Our research has suggested that with appropriate management it would receive strong local support."

Llangwm community council has also opposed the conversion plans.

Price reduction

The owners of the Bridge Inn have retired and moved to Spain.

A planning application has been submitted by a relative of the owners who said the business was not financially viable.

The relative said a buyer could not be found for the pub in the 18 months it had been for sale, and there had been a large reduction in the price.

The owners have been asked to comment, but their estate agent said no-one was available. According to CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, 56 pubs close for good each month across the UK and hundreds more have shut and may not be reopened.

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