Pints will be swapped for pedicures if a village pub gets the go ahead to be transformed into a beauty clinic and tearooms.

The Mitre in Wickham Bishops has been closed since the previous tenants decided to leave last year.

It had been run by Joe and Becci Greene, who also run the Chequers in the village, who had converted it into a tearoom for during the day and a pub in the evenings.

Now plans have been submitted to Maldon District Council by Claire Mead to change the use of the rear of the building into a beauty clinic and continue to use the rest of the building as a tearoom.

The proposal reveals the beauty clinic would include areas for sun beds, a nail bar and treatment room.

The application, prepared by Petro Designs Limited, said: “The existing use is for a public house and tearooms, which did not have sufficient support from the community and closed down last year.

“There is a demand for the tearooms, however there is not sufficient revenue for this to operate and trade on its own merits without closing down again, so with a beauty clinic to the rear of the property owned and will be run by the same applicant / owner this will support the tearooms financially, which will give this facility of tea rooms back for community use again.”

But Maldon and Dengie Campaign for Real Ale said they hoped the pub could be retained for the community.

Chairman Chris Harvey said: “Having spoken to some of our members I feel there is a real desire to see the village keep a pub which has history.

“With the right ownership there is no reason why it should not be a very successful pub in an affluent village.”

Mr Harvey said he would be writing to Wickham Bishops Parish Council and Maldon District Council to stress the importance of considering keeping it as a pub.

Claire Mead said: “The selfish attitude of CAMRA that every village should have so many public houses that none can survive and that beautiful old buildings such as this, that occupy the centre of a village, must be used solely for the sale of alcohol and pub grub, frustrates me.

“We are heavily investing into the village in which we live. We intend to provide the local communities, young and old, with something all can make use of and enjoy. The beauty therapy is a small part of the business and is merely relocating from 300 meters up the same road to mostly non-public outbuildings behind the premises.

“Our intention is to retain the alcohol license and to create something that will be more than just a pub, or a tea-room. The changes will allow the premises to be far more dynamic and offer the community a diverse local amenity.

“A few landlords/landladies have tried to run the Mitre as a pub over the past eight years but it has failed every time.  We have a fantastic pub, The Chequers, which sells real ale 300m down the same road.”