An historic West Bromwich pub is once again under threat just months after being saved from the bulldozer by its regulars.

A planning application has been lodged to turn the 250-year-old Sow & Pigs in Hill Top, into homes.

Last year devoted regulars started a petition to save it after developers submitted an application to Sandwell Council demolish the building and erect four semi-detached houses.

There was even talk of drinkers clubbing together to buy the pub and secure its future, but London-based Susd developers withdrew their application at the last minute. Now a second bid has been launched to close the pub, which dates back to 1726, and replace it with two, two-bedroom apartments and two new semi-detached houses.

The Sow and Pigs, run by Country Estates, is the oldest pub in West Bromwich and landlord Nirmal Kumar took over to helm in October promising to move it forward and bring in new trade.

He extended the opening hours from noon to midnight from the previous 5pm to 11pm and started serving home made curries and samosas.

He lives next door to the pub and had been a regular drinker there himself before he decided to take on the challenge of managing it.

He said: “I hadn’t heard about it, we haven’t been told, you’d think they would write use a letter or something. I’m gutted.”