A ROW over an empty pub in Worcester has been re-ignited after plans to demolish it and turn it into a pre-preparatory school were resubmitted to the city council.

The King's School said proposals to bulldoze the Alma in Mill Street, Diglis, and turn it into a school for up to 48 children are "markedly different" to those that were rejected in July, last year.

On that occasion, members of the city council's planning committee said it wanted to see the building remain as a pub.

That decision was welcomed by the Worcester branch of Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Spokesman Bill Ottaway said: "It is now time for the people of Worcester to stand up again to save one of the few back street pubs still left within Worcester just like they did when the previous application was refused.

"The Worcester Branch of CAMRA will be doing its utmost to prevent the pub from being demolished."

As previously reported in your Worcester News, King's School has also bought the Salmon's Leap in Severn Street with plans to turn the now boarded up premises into a sports hall.

King's School bursar Galen Bartholomew said: "There is a huge decline in pubs nationally and in beer drinking and real-ale drinking.

"That's not just me saying that, it's backed up by very clear evidence.

"I don't really see any positives to retain the Alma as a pub because there are a lot of other pubs around there."

The Alma, next to King's junior school St Albans, is in a conservation area.

King's wants to replace the pub with with three classrooms, a hall for gym, dining and community use, a kitchen, a staff room and a learning resource, as well as meeting rooms that would double as music practice rooms.

Mr Bartholomew said the new proposals replicated the pub's design and focused on being eco-friendly.

He also said the facilities could be used by the local community after school hours.

Anyone wishing to comment on the planning applications should contact Worcester City Council's planning department by Friday, February 22. No application has yet been submitted for the Salmon's Leap.