VILLAGERS have launched a campaign to save a village’s last pub.

The landlords of The Manor, in Rectory Road, Great Holland, will not reopen it after Covid-19 following persistent “upsetting” complaints from neighbours.

David Salmon has instead submitted plans for a change of use to turn the venue into a five-bedroom home.

The pub and restaurant, formally known as The Ship Inn, is the last pub in the village and closed at the start of the pandemic.

Paul Withams, from nearby Manor Road, and a number of other villagers have now banded together in a bid to save the pub, possibly as a community project.

He said: “Great Holland’s only pub is at risk of being lost forever.

“Unaware to many of us, the pub has been on the market for over a year and with no takers, the current owners have put in a planning application to convert it to a residential property.

“Following interest from residents, a small group has been formed to try and save the pub.

“Now is the time to act before we’ve lost one of the last remaining assets of Great Holland.

“We want the pub to stay and we don’t really want the uphill struggle of making it community owned, but if that’s what it takes, that’s what we will do.”

He added a number of residents have promised to contribute funds and campaigners would be talking to residents in Great Oakley, who saved the village’s Maybush Inn in 2016, re-opening it as co-operative pub.

Mr Withams said residents had not been given enough time to save what is “undeniably a valuable community asset” before the application for change of use was submitted.

He has called on Tendring Council to reject the application to give the community an opportunity to come together to save the pub.

A report by planning agent Keith O’Dell, submitted as part of the application, said the business was not frequented on a regular basis by many of the locals of Great Holland and that the majority of patrons were out of the area.

It added that some nearby residents were “habitual complainers”.

Anyone interested in joining the campaign to save the pub is asked to email themanorreborn@outlook.com.

The Gazette tried to contact Mr Salmon for comment.

A message on the pub’s social media pages earlier this year said: “After careful consideration we have decided not to reopen on July 4.

“We would like to thank our amazing staff and customers. We really appreciate everyone’s understanding and support at this time.”