Villagers in South Leigh near Witney rejoice as plans to turn pub into cottage thrown out

The people of South Leigh, just outside Witney, have been battling to save its historic hostelry for years after it was bought by a property developer and closed down.

The Mason Arms has been empty since March 2014.

Plans were recently submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council to turn it into a cottage.

But councillors refused the application – against officers' recommendations – saying it would have meant it might never have opened as a pub again.

Chairman of lowlands planning committee at WODC, Warwick Robinson, said: "Members felt the viability of the pub would be greatly diminished.

"There was a strong feeling that the real future was as a destination pub with accommodation and a gastro menu as opposed to a village pub.

"We feel hiving off the landlord's accommodation would be detrimental to it ever opening again.

"That was the members' logic and feeling, so they refused the application. It was a complicated one."

Dick Pears of the village action group said residents were delighted with the decision.

He said: "The committee unceremoniously kicked the recommendations of the officers out of court, but the village is determined to find out by Freedom of Information requests how the officers could make such perverse recommendations."

He questioned why officers had taken "so long and were so wrong".

He added: "The Masons Arms is a pub with heart, soul and history.

"We are a resilient, tight-knit community where residents, many of whom have lived here for several decades and some for generations, support each other by holding regular community events."

The Mason Arms was brought into the spotlight in 2009 after owner at the time Gerry Stonhill became the first pub landlord in Oxfordshire to be fined for flouting the smoking ban.

He finally caved in, after being fined £5,750, and provided an outdoor smoking area for customers.

The pub was put up for sale in 2013 when Mr Stonhill decided to retire.