PLANS to turn a thriving pub into housing have reared their head again after it unexpectedly shut yesterday.

Regulars at the Nash Arms in Chesham were stunned to find the pub had closed without warning on Wednesday.

Former mayor Alison Pirouet, whose ward covers the area the pub is in, told the Bucks Free Press today: "It's currently being stripped so it's now not worth anything as a community building, pub or anything."

Proposals to convert the bar into a shop and the first floor into flats were unanimously rejected by Chiltern District Council's planning committee earlier this year, although this is subject to an appeal that will be heard next month.

Cllr Pirouet praised landlord Jim Dyer - who she said only found out about the pub's closure yesterday morning - for the way he has turned around its fortunes.

The terms of appeal against refusal of planning permission says the Vale Road pub is "unviable as a business, and cannot continue in its present use".

But Cllr Pirouet said: "Since Jim took over he's really built it up. He's got people coming through the door, the local motorcycle club use it as their base, he was making a profit. It was thriving.

"It's such a community asset - everybody uses it."

At the other end of the town the Wild Rover is also under threat of redevelopment, although plans to convert that into housing were also rejected by Chiltern District Council last month.

Cllr Pirouet said: "It doesn't matter which road you come into Chesham on, you go past a boarded up pub - that's really great for the town, isn't it?"

The Bucks Free Press has not been able to obtain a comment from Bramwood Taverns, which owns the Nash Arms, at this time.