PERSHORE MP Sir Michael Spicer's call for a public inquiry into the future of the town's fire-damaged Perrott House has received a warm welcome.

The Grade I listed building, considered to be of considerable national importance, was severely damaged by a major fire in January 1999.

Since then it has been encased in scaffolding and plastic sheeting, much to the annoyance of residents and traders who consider it a major eyesore.

Val Wood, who is chairman of Pershore Tourism Association and secretary of the town's Chamber of Commerce, lives and runs a business opposite. "We would all really like to see something done about it, or at least be able to get an idea of what was happening," she said.

"It's devastating the tourist industry in Bridge Street and it's blighting the whole town."

Jean Glazebrook, chairman of Pershore Heritage and History Society, agreed and said members of the society were desperate to see progress on the restoration.

"Obviously it would take enormous sums of money to restore Perrott House to its original glory, but surely steps could be taken to restore the faade at least," she added.

Town mayor Councillor John Grantham said: "The whole town is frustrated as it's gone on so long, we'd all like to see something done and quickly."

Sir Michael wrote to Deputy Prime Minister John Prestcott last week asking him to call in an application from the house's owner John Ellingworth. The application is for permission to restore parts of the building with materials that differed from the original.

Jack Hegarty, Wychavon District Council's head of planning, said Mr Ellingworth had applied for permission to use types of wood other than the original oak in some of the restoration work.

But he added English Heritage, which has overseen the restoration, had told Wychavon it felt there was insufficient justification to use different materials.

Alan Taylor, English Heritage's historic buildings inspector, said he wanted original materials used throughout the restoration, but he would not rule out the use of substitute materials in parts of the building if they could not be seen, and there was a full financial or technical justification.

Mr Taylor said English Heritage shared local people's concerns, and added: "We're in regular contact with Wychavon and Mr Ellingworth." He said the building had now dried out and work on the internal partitions and floor structures was under way. "There is slow but steady activity going on behind the scaffolding and Wychavon monitors that to see it is done according to listed building consents."

Mr Ellingworth was unavailable for comment when the Journal contacted him this week, but at the beginning of the year he told the Journal the restoration was likely to exceed £2million, and his insurance would meet a substantial part of that.

He added that he hoped to find the remainder of the cost with grants or by selling property or other items.