RESIDENTS in a Calderdale village have vowed to battle to keep their village pub.

They claim the owner of the HolyWell Inn on Stainland Road in Holywell Green, who wishes to turn it into flats, has failed to prove that it is no longer a viable business or there is no need for a communal pub in the area – facts which are needed to meet planning rules.

Now they are holding a meeting on Friday, January 4, to explore ways to save the pub.

And they are critical of Leeds-based commercial and business transfer agents Ernest Wilson & Co Ltd, which has been advertising the pub for sale claiming it has “tremendous potential’’ and would suit being a “restaurant or public house’’.This clashes with their marketing report for Calderdale Council’s planners claiming that “any person attempting to re-establish a public house in this location would be doomed to fail’’.

In its sales material Ernest Wilson invites offers and says the pub “could quite easily be reinvented under the ownership of a new management as either a public house or restaurant’’.

An initial plan to convert the pub into five flats was rejected by Calderdale planners last January and the owner has now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol.

Calderdale Council is urging the inspector to turn the initial plan down, stating: “The council considers the applicant has failed to demonstrate that he has fully complied with the provisions of the policy in relation to the justification for the loss of a public house, the extension would be detrimental to the amenity of neighbouring residents and it would be out of character with the area.’’

But in September the applicant submitted a similar plan and council officers have now urged councillors to approve it. The decision was deferred at a recent planning committee meeting until early in January.

One of the objectors, John Walsh, says there have been 17 letters of objection to the plan along with a 267-strong petition.

He said: “This can be considered as a groundswell of opinion that the pub is an important community facility which should be retained. The applicant has failed to justify the loss of a public house.

“This was a well-supported pub with a loyal customer base and prior to closure the Holywell had traded for 142 years.’’

A marketing report submitted to Calderdale Council by Jonathan Holmes from commercial and business transfer agents Ernest Wilson said: “The leisure and licensed sector of the market has never been more challenging and with a change in people’s social trends the sustainability of public houses generally is very limited.

“In my considered opinion and knowledge of the current market I feel this property is no longer suitable for a commercial use and any person attempting to re-establish a public house in this location would be doomed to fail.’’

A Calderdale Council spokeswoman said: “An application for conversion of the public house into five one-bed apartments including an extension to the roof of the games room and construction of four dormers on the main building was refused on March 27, 2012.

“The applicant has now submitted a revised planning application which differs from the previous application in that it includes a marketing report and omits the extension.

“This application is due to be considered by Calderdale Council’s planning committee on Tuesday 8 January.”

Calls to Ernest and Wilson for comment have not been returned and their office is now closed until the New Year.

The meeting about the pub’s future will be on Friday, January 4 at 7pm at the church hall on Stainland Road in Holywell Green.