PLANS to convert a pub into a home have come under fire over the loss of a ‘historic village amenity’.

Patrick Langdown, director of Dorset Flint and Stone Blocks Limited, has put forward a bid to renovate The Plough in Longparish into a five-bedroom home.

Mr Langdown says that the pub had been on the market for over 11 months without any interest in continuing with its current use, and his offer was agreed “with the intention of establishing an alternate use”.

The application adds: “The use is no longer, or cannot be made, commercially viable and there is no longer a need for that facility for its existing use or another community use.”

However, the scheme has drawn criticism over the handling of the pub’s future by its new owners and two applications have been submitted to have the pub listed as a Asset of Community Value to protect the tavern.

Village resident Danielle King said: “No real attempt has been made to protect the pub and try and run it again as a successful pub.

“It is part of Longparish and its history and should stay that way.”

Neighbour Jacqui Healey added: “I strongly believe that the owner of The Plough pub has not tried to see if they could make a business as a public house. From the day it was purchased the owner was only interested in changing the pub into a housing project.”

But, others have argued that due to the pub’s history it should be converted in the hope it will preserve the village’s other pub - The Cricketers.

Before its closure in October 2016 the pub had two owners in two years, with BBC 2’s Great British Menu winner James Durrant and Lunar Hare landlord Allen Watts unable to make the inn a success.