A district councillor wants to review plans to convert a village’s only pub into a residential home.

The landlord of the Blowing Stone Inn in Kingston Lisle has applied to Vale of White Horse District Council to convert the nearly 100-year-old pub into a house.

The plans have received more than 100 objections from drinkers who fear they will lose the only pub left in the small village – which has a population of just over 200.

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Councillor Paul Barrow, whose ward covers Kingston Lisle, has now written to the district council to ask that the planning committee review the application.

He said: “It is the only pub in Kingston Lisle. Historically it has had good links with the racing industry, with two large racing stables in the immediate vicinity, and was well used prior to the covid pandemic.

“The current owner has had a number of problems and now has a chef who is generally well regarded but business seems to be in an unfortunate downward spiral."

A viability report in the pub's application concluded that poor economic conditions meant the business was no longer viable and that there was “no appetite in the market” from any potential buyers

However, Cllr Barrow described the report as “very poor” and said it missed “some huge opportunities in terms of increasing the clientele.”

He said: “The village community feels that not enough has been done to advertise the inherent merits of the pub locally and, more importantly, to the wider rural and visitor community.

“Visitors in the area include cyclists and footpath and ridgeway walkers including members of the ramblers association and more could be done to re-establish relations with the racing industry.

“There is huge scope for exploiting this wider market including the use of B&B and Airbnb and this is not being done.

“It appears that the owner does not have the finances or energy to do this and the business appears to be going in ever-decreasing financial circles with little investment leading to decreased business and so on.”

Kingston Lisle Parish Council has also objected to the plans, which it said had not “clearly demonstrated that the pub is not economically viable.”

An additional objection was sent by Fawler Parish Council.

Villagers fear that losing the pub will deprive a village that already lacks community spaces, with no shop or bus service.

In response to Cllr Barrow’s request, the district council has now commissioned its own viability assessment into the pub.

The outcome of this will determine whether the application will come to the planning committee.