RESIDENTS in Bledlow Ridge are continuing to work on the defence of their village pub in a bid to save it being changed into a house.

Plans to turn the restaurant Darusso in Chinnor Road – formerly the Boot pub – into a four bedroom house have caused outrage among residents who want to see it returned to a pub.

The application was put before Wycombe District Council's planning committee last month but a decision was deferred while residents gathered evidence to prove that the restaurant was used by drinkers and not just people eating there.

The pub was transformed into a restaurant four years ago which did not require planning permission, but to change a restaurant into a pub planning permission does need to be granted.

The restaurant is not protected as a 'community facility” whereas a pub would be. If residents can prove they did drink there then the council could have robust reason to reject the application.

The council's policy on this matter stems from government legislation of 2005 so the working group are seeking for a question to be asked in the House of Commons as it has national implications.

Residents have set up a website called www.savetheboot.co.uk and is asking people who used the restaurant as a public “drop in” bar to complete their written statements by February 15. The form and the address is on the website.