Many people in Brigg will be a little sad to learn that another North Lincolnshire pub is earmarked to disappear for good and be turned over to purely residential use.
A good number of us will understand the reasoning behind this proposal which makes economic sense, but it will end any lingering hopes some people may have had of the pub reopening its doors.
A planning application has now been submitted to change the 'mixed use' of the Royal Oak at Kirton Lindsey from pub and residential to a single residential property.
This is now being considered by North Lincolnshire Council, as the local planning authority.
A statement submitted to the council says the Royal Oak finally closed in July 2014 "following a number of failed attempts to run a successful public house."
Since then it has been uninhabited and deteriorating, the council has been told.
"The final date of business coincided with the closure of the RAF base in Kirton Lindsey. This closure, alongside the national diminishing trend for drinking establishments, had dramatically reduced demand," the statement adds.
Since July 2014 the premises were marketed for sale as a public house without success. It failed to sell at auction in April and September 2017, but was purchased in September 2018 with the aim of redevelopment.
Upstairs is already residential with a number of bedrooms set up as a flat.
Downstairs, the intention is to keep much of the open plan layout, removing the bars and replacing them with stud walls.
The signs and features specifically identifying a public house are to be removed as part of the proposed scheme.
Kirton in Lindsey is currently served by The George and The Queens Head.
All planning applications are considered on their individual merits but in Brigg earlier this year, the council agreed to the Nelthorpe Arms, on Bridge Street, being closed and turned over to purely residential use. View details here...
So clearly there are similarities, as both applications involve changing the use of a pub building to residential.
The Royal Oak redevelopment plan comes from a different applicant to the scheme for the Nelthorpe Arms.