More than 400 sign petition against convenience store plans for popular pub car park
More than 400 people have signed a petition against plans to build a convenience store on the car park of a popular Cradley Heath pub.
A friends group has now also been set up by campaigners who are concerned by the proposals for the Haden Cross in Halesowen.
The store would be run by The Co-Operative and create up to 20 jobs.
A planning application for the development has been lodged with Sandwell Council.
A petition has already attracted 420 names and the friends group is working to get the pub recognised as an 'asset of community value'.
Objectors are worried about the impact the store will have on the pub and the reduced amount of parking.
Chairman of the Friends of Haden Cross Inn group Tim Haskey said: "It is a thriving, traditional pub and we don't want to lose it. We are worried this application will kill the pub."
Martin Hughes, spokesman for New River Retail, which owns the Haden Cross, said the proposals had been designed to help safeguard the future of the pub and similar schemes at worked well at other sites.
