ANOTHER village pub has been lost to a rural community after an appeal inspector overturned a Malvern Hills planning decision.

The Worcestershire Arms, at Stoke Bliss, can now be turned into a house, following the example of two other local pubs, the Gate Hangs Well at Tedstone Wafre and the Farmer's Boy at Kyre.

Nearest pubs for the people in these villages are now in Bromyard, Tenbury Wells or Upper Sapey.

Stoke Bliss has no school or post office and the pub was an important social centre for the community.

This was noted by the appeal inspector, who said the Worcestershire Arms played a valuable role in community life and would be a loss to local people.

But he said an extensive and properly targeted marketing campaign had shown there was little chance of the pub re-opening.

Its permanent closure flies in the face of local opposition, including that of Stoke Bliss, Kyre and Bockleton Parish Council, Malvern Hills District Council and those who signed a petition to keep the pub going.

The inspector's decision also reverses the ruling of a previous appeal, when the last owner of the Worcestershire Arms was refused permission to turn it into a dwelling.

Stoke Bliss resident Diane Hamilton, who organised the petition, said it ran to three A4 sheets and was signed by people from as far away as Tenbury Wells and Edwyn Ralph.

Popular

"Everyone knew the Worcestershire Arms.

"It was a very popular pub when we moved here 10 years ago.

"It only needed someone who was good with food and it would have gone like a bomb," she said.

"We have nothing against the people who are living there, but we feel very annoyed that the appeal decision has gone against local opinion."

This week the Prince of Wales urged local communities to save rural pubs.