Hundreds say no to supermarket takeover at under-threat pub
Campaigners showed their support for an under-threat pub which is the latest in the Black Country that could be turned into a supermarket.
Dudley MP Ian Austin and Councillor Keiran Casey visited The Summer House Inn on Sedgley Road, Woodsetton, to hear residents' views on plans to replace it with a Co-op.
They turned up at the pub with a petition signed by hundreds of members of the community who are against the closure on Wednesday night.
The Summer House is the latest of a number of Black Country pubs facing closure, demolition or replacement by a supermarket.
Ward councillors Casey and Adam Aston have written to every resident in the surrounding area asking them their views on the plans.
These would see the existing pub demolished and a new building installed in its place.
The new Co-op would bring 20 jobs to the area and comes with allocated parking spaces, according to the developer.
A petition run by a local resident to save the Summer House has already gained more than 300 signatures and this will be submitted to the planning committee when plans are lodged.
Councillor Casey said: "Local pubs are important to the community – the Summer House has been in the village for many years.
"The Co-op could bring 20 new jobs to the area but many people may not want to see yet another local pub close.
"The most important thing is that residents get their voices heard.
"It is my job to speak up for local people and that is why I'm visiting the pub to hear from local residents face-to-face."
A spokesman for NewRiver Retail, the owners of the Summer House, said: "We have notified local residents that we have submitted a planning application to provide a new Co-op convenience store at the site and that this involves the demolition of the existing pub building.
"Our approach with pub sites where we are looking at new development proposals is always to consider first whether the pub can be retained.
"We have taken forward many proposals elsewhere where the pub operates alongside the new store.
"In this instance, it is not possible and unfortunately the Summer House has been struggling as a pub business for a considerable period of time.
"There are other public houses nearby that are operating successfully.
"The proposed new convenience store will offer local people a modern, purpose-built local facility and we have been contacted with support for our plans, given the lack of provision of stores of this type in the vicinity.
"The new store will also offer around 20 new jobs with associated training opportunities."
