A community pub that was due to close on Sunday may be saved after a campaign by regulars.

The King Pin pub on Archer Road, Stevenage could be pulling pints for the foreseeable future after Stevenage Borough Council, which owns the building, said it would look into granting a licence to keep it open.

The pub was bought by the authority last year from brewers Greene King as part of a plan to redevelop the neighbourhood. The council intend to knock it down.

But after a 400-strong petition to keep the pub open until redevelopment work begins, the council has extended the licence until the end of the month while officers look into the legal issues.

Sharon Taylor, leader of the council, said the authority is doing its best to keep it open but needs campaigners to use the pub.

“Four hundred people signed the petition but they need to keep on drinking in the pub,” she said. “Lee (Chitty – the landlord) has rejuvenated it. If we can keep that going then we are very happy to so.”

She added that the council had to buy the pub when Greene King put it up for sale to prevent anyone else taking up the lease which would have meant alterations to their redevelopment plans.

There is no fixed date for when redevelopment of the area will begin.