Parish councillors in Erlestoke are looking for ways to save the village’s only pub, which its owners want to turn into a house.

An extraordinary parish council meeting was to be held last night, to examine ways to keep the George and Dragon open, including having it declared an Asset of Community Value.

The pub had been boarded up for more than a year before husband and wife Andy and Janet Southorn opened it for business in November 2013.

Now the couple have applied to make the 16th-century building into a private house, saying they have run it without making any profit.

Mrs Southorn said: “We just haven’t been making any money and Andy has had to go back into full-time work as an engineer to support us.

“Cheap alcohol in shops along with no smoking rules has definitely affected us along with the rest of the pub trade.”

RCC Town Planning Consult-ancy, acting for the couple, suggests in an application to Wilt- shire Council there is no future for a public house in Erlestoke.

It says: “It is clear that Erlestoke is too small a village to sustain a pub.

“It must be concluded that there is no long-term need for the facility in the village and if there was then residents would be using the pub much more.”

However, the parish council is anxious to keep the pub.

Chairman Stan Jonik said: “We are very disappointed that the pub may close. Other than the church, it is the only venue in the village and many functions are held there.

“We are discussing what can be done to save it.”

The Southorns, who have 15 years’ experience in running pubs and hotels, bought the George and Dragon in 2013 and spent more than £100,000 on refurbishing it.

They put it up for sale or lease last year, but no offers were received.

A decision on the application is expected at the end of March.