THE landlords of the Bat and Ball pub in The Bourne have given a "use it or lose it" warning to residents, after a planning application was submitted for its demolition.

Owners Forays intend to turn the pub - which has traded under its current name for at least the last 85 years - into three detached houses.

Residents in the area have reacted angrily and started petitions to Waverley Borough Council against its closure.

Landlord Andy Bujok, who has been on site for the last ten years, hopes the closure of the pub can be avoided.

"People have already stopped coming here as they think it has closed. The hard economic facts are that if it does not pay its way, then it will get developed,"

"I always put my heart and soul into it; it is a nice old place and has been our livelihood."

Resident Peter Clark described the pub as a local institution and simply irreplaceable.

He said: "It has been an integral part of our community for generations now, and its unique position in our area offers people from all walks of life a place to meet and socialise."

Mr Clark added that it was a true family pub with many facilities which proved a haven for families in the area.

Supporting this view, another resident, Mrs Freddie Dawson, said the potential closure of the pub appeared to be following in the footsteps of The Cricketers in Lower Bourne.

It was recently demolished to make way for housing, which she strongly believed should not happen again.

She said: "I consider this would be a loss of amenities to this very pretty area. There is a lovely garden to the pub, which caters for children, and in the summer months it is particularly packed with families.

"The food is excellent and good value for money, and I think that to lose yet another public house to the developers would be unforgivable"

Today (Friday) was the closing date for Waverley Borough Council to receive any objections to the proposal to develop on the site.