SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has admitted it is no longer sure whether to go ahead with plans to redevelop a burnt-out former Oxford pub.

In July this year, 55 firefighters tackled a severe blaze at the Fox and Hounds pub in Abingdon Road.

Following the blaze, city council leaders and residents demanded to know Tesco’s timetable for building a new Tesco Express store on the site.

But they received no answer, and now the company has admitted “it has no set plans” to replace the pub at all.

City council leader Bob Price reacted angrily to the news and suggested the local authority should order Tesco to sell it the site.

He said: “This is a disgrace.

“The council’s planning officers have been trying to find out Tesco’s aspirations for the site but so far they have not had much luck.

“We are also exploring the possibility of a compulsory purchase order because there is legislation that could be used by the council for developments that are potentially unsafe.

“In its current state the building will continue to deteriorate and we need to intervene in some shape or form.

“Something needs to be done with the site and I think housing would be preferable to a new store.”

The Rev Jane Sherwood, the vicar of St Luke’s Church in Canning Crescent, said the burnt-out timbers of the pub’s roof were an eyesore and a danger to children.

Ms Sherwood, who took dramatic pictures of the pub blaze, said: “You can see the roof timbers are starting to sag and I’m worried about the safety of local children.

“I think they could be in great danger if they did try to go on to the site and I would urge them to stay away from it.

“The pub is a terrible eyesore for people coming into Oxford on the Abingdon Road.

“It’s one of the first things they see and it does not give people a very good impression of the city. It doesn’t seem fair for Tesco to buy the land and then not do anything with it.”

Melanie Chiswell, corporate affairs manager for Tesco Express, said the company’s property team had made the former pub site secure.

When asked by the Oxford Mail for a timetable for the new store, she said: “It’s possible we might go ahead and possible we might not.

“Normally we try to retain existing buildings when we build a Tesco Express but now we have to look at the costs.

“We do not have any set plans at the moment and we are reviewing our options. There is no timetable at present for the demolition or renovation of the Fox and Hounds, but we will be making an announcement in the not-too-distant future.”

Mohammad Afzal, who runs the Nisa convenience store and post office opposite, fears a Tesco store would damage his business. He was unavailable for comment last night.

Ms Sherwood added: “We are trying to arrange a meeting with Tesco to find out how it plans to take things forward.”