People in a North Herts village are putting up a fight to save a popular pub.

Whitwell’s The Maiden’s Head, a Grade II listed building, is under threat because the new owners want to convert it into a house.

The application for change of use is due be heard by the North Herts District Council’s planning committee at a meeting in Letchworth tomorrow.

David Widdowson, who lives in the village, formed the Society for the Protection of Pubs in Whitwell with the aim of saving the pub and creating a community pub similar to the Red Lion in Preston, which has been successfully operating for more than two decades.

A string of pubs in North Herts have been converted into homes in recent years, with sites in towns and villages both affected

Mr Widdowson said: “We’ve had our application to have the Maiden’s Head listed as an asset of community value approved but the planning meeting is the decider.

“The fabric of our village community is under threat.

“We need as many people as possible to attend tonight’s meeting and to register their objections by emailing tom.donovan@north-herts.gov.uk.”