Protect Elston's Pub

It would be a real shame to loose the pub, I will not comment on land lord and lady as they have always been ok with me and i have never had an issue there but I would love to see a great pub with a clean safe area for children to play in and parents to relax. I would add that I don't find it hygienic for the cat to walk on areas that people eat and drink from. Must keep the pub! It's our closest pub and we would make more use of it if it was a good space gorgeous us as a family. X

A village needs a local pub.

Save Easton pub!!!!!

A great village pub.

Properly run this pub could and should be a successful business. All that is driving this application for change of use is the fact that as a house it is worth far more than as a freehold pub. Please examine the case carefully, and ,decline it.

Would be a great shame to see pub shut . I like the landlord and landlady . Always busy when I've visited so can't understand the application for change of use

I feel to lose this pub would be a devestation for the village community. A pub is not just a place to drink but forms a key factor in village life . It creates a place to meet , socialise and keeps the whole community together . A publican should be one of the main community figures in and around the village. Helping out,fund raising ,charity events , sports events,W.I , coffee mornings and oap special events (however I've seen no evidence of this). If something is going on in the village the publicans should be involved and play a main role in supporting the community to form a longlasting partnership of support from both sides. Never should publicans alienate customers with out due reasons. Those reasons being for the terms of licence and not for personal reasons away from the business. I feel sad to read many people have felt unwelcome over time . Certainly not the way forward if your main aim is to run a profitable business so one can only guess it was intended to help run the profits down to gain change of use !! A good pub should be bringing a village together ,requires a warm, welcoming friendly atmosphere with a nice outdoor space ,comfy internal seating and a relaxed ambience. It needs a pro active owner and continuity of service (opening times,food,ale,staffing) Customers should all be treated as equal while owners and staff remain neutral on public opinions of others . Listening to your customers is key . However if neither owner is ever behind the bar or has a presence within the bar area how can they possibly listen to customers or get to know them. If you don't know your target market how do you expect to achieve a great business. Maybe the pub was only a hobby like the brewery will become (as stated in the letter) The pub has become third inline of proirty from owners and it's felt by the public. Paying staff rather than work behind your own bar (4 nights aweek) Buying beer in rather than brewing your own. Getting a job rat

Lived in Elston nearly 30 years, during which the pub has been a vibrant focus for much of that time.

Some websites claim a good pub can add as much as 7% to house prices so even for people for with no interest in using a pub, keeping it open can be hugely in their interests. In terms of viability The Staunton Arms since its refurbishment has demonstrated in a much smaller village that if the offer is what the people want a pub can thrive. I don't blame Abi and Dave for trying to remove the licenced status if it makes financial sense to them because that is what anyone in the same position would do :)

Please don't close this pub.

We must save the Chequers or it will be a disaster for the social fabric of Elston. The village should not suffer for the ineptitude and indifference of the owners.

It's a worthy cause to protect this beautiful village pub

I don't live in the village but have friends who do. This would have such an enormous impact on such a community focused village and a loss to people like myself who travel here.

Every village needs its pub!

Always been a good buzz in there whenever I've visited so surely is well patronised by those who value a village pub

Elston is a thriving community which could support a well run pub along with the surrounding villages. It would be a real shame to see this close when so little effort has gone into it or trying to sell it.

Leave the Pub as a Pub, to many are closing down. They used to be the hub of the community, now they stand empty waiting for a developer to pick it up cheap

The demand is there, the supply is clearly not. The Chequers has been a very successful pub in the past and it could be again.This change of use application should be stopped in its tracks.

To see The Chequers turned into a private house would be a massive loss to the village. With Elston set to grow, not ensuring the protection of the pub and allowing the closure of this community asset now would be shortsighted.

It'd be much better if this remained as a pub