VILLAGERS near Malvern have not given up hope of an historic pub, once frequented by heavy rock superstar Ozzie Osbourne, re-opening.

Speaking to the Evening News, Cradley resident Sally Ramsden - one of the Cradley Crown Crusaders behind the campaign to stop the former Crown pub in the village being converted into homes - said residents still wanted it to be re-opened.

It comes nearly a year-and-a-half after Herefordshire planners granted owner David Woodward permission to build four houses in its grounds.

However, they refused earlier plans for a change of use of the pub - a listed building which has been closed for 17 years - into three houses.

Mrs Ramsden said the site had since been fenced off but it appeared little had been done.

"It's all very disappointing but, of course, you can stop someone from closing something but you can't force them to open it.

"In the long term, though, I still see no reason it has a viable future as a pub provided it has a landlord who wants to run it."

The Crusaders were behind a huge effort to save the pub from development - submitting a 750-name petition to councillors in January 2003.

The campaign was supported by the Campaign for Real Ale and the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Re-open

Crusader Kathleen Munrow said they were led to believe the pub would re-open.

During the initial campaign she unsuccessfully tried to contact Ozzie Osbourne and his band Black Sabbath - who used to drink there - for their support and plans to try again.

She is also set to contact Herefordshire planners asking what is being done and raising concerns about the site's appearance.

"Whenever I go out, people are still asking me what is happening about it.

"We've waited for years for it to re-open and I personally, as well as lots of others, have come to live here because we were told there would be a pub there.

"The site is such an eyesore at the moment."

Villager James Gwillam said he was also keen for its return.

"It'd be nice for it to be a village pub but whether it's viable or not is another thing."

Mr Woodward was unavailable for comment.