A PARISH council has moved to protect a village's "much-loved" and only pub after its owner put forward plans to turn it into two homes.

Tendring Council’s cabinet has approved Mistley Parish Council’s application for The Anchor Inn to be added to the authority’s list of assets of community value.

Assets of community value have a mandatory moratorium on being sold by their owners, of up to six months, to allow community groups time to build up a bid to buy the properties.

Mistley councillor Carlo Guglielmi said: “It would be sad to see another pub go, presumably to be turned into a couple of homes.

“I’m happy to support this and wish Mistley Parish Council the best in their endeavours.”

Council leader Neil Stock added: “This pub is in a very prominent location and it would really be quite sad to lose it.”

The pub closed its doors to punters at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with the solicitors acting for the owner stating he had made "every attempt" to make a success of the business.

In a letter submitted alongside the plans, a chartered accountancy firm said: "We have acted for the owners of the premises for ten years.

"During this period our clients have made every effort to make a success of the public house.

"The public house has incurred losses for each of the last eight years, despite every effort to make the business successful."

The pub has been on the market as a business since July 2018, but "no offers" have been received.

In its nomination of the pub as an asset of community a value, the parish council said: "If this much-loved pub closes, there will be no pub in the village and it will mean a huge loss.

"Closing the pub will have an emotional effect that will seriously affect the future economy and community infrastructure with nowhere to meet and no focus for the community life and there will be no community cohesion."

In one of several objections to the plans, William Luesley, of Dumont Avenue, St Osyth said: "This pub has acted as a great community centre for the people of Mistley for many years, as there are no other similar establishments within the community.

"Pubs in Manningtree are the nearest - The Thorn Hotel in Mistley is primarily a restaurant and only has a very small drinking area around the bar, which is mainly for diners awaiting tables.

"The permanent closure of this establishment as a community pub will be a great loss to the locals, as well as visitors to this beautiful area along the Stour."

The Standard attempted to contact the Anchor for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of going to press.