A BREWERY is refusing to give up in its fight to turn a disused pub into a house.

Permission to turn the General Elliot pub in South Hinksey into a house was refused earlier this month.

But now its owner, the Vale Brewery Company, has decided to appeal the decision.

Vale of the White Horse District councillors threw out the application because they felt the General Elliot “served not only as a public house, but as an important facility for the community”.

It also added that “no substantive evidence had been submitted to demonstrate that the property is no longer viable as a public house” and said the property had not been offered on the market for sale at a realistic price.

The pub in Manor Road was the last one in the village to remain open and had won Oxford’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) pub of the year award in 2007 and 2008.

It closed in 2009 when the landlord left and gave away its furniture and fittings free on the Internet.

The Vale Brewery Company, which is based in Brill, near Thame, had said the pub was “not an important local community facility” and that even if it was the “evidence submitted demonstrates that the use is no longer economically viable”.

Adrian Porter, who has been campaigning to reopen the pub, said: “The appeal is not unexpected, but if this draws a line under the whole thing, we are really keen to start working with the brewery.

“The district council wanted to make sure the decision they made was robust and watertight. Hopefully the appeal process will show that to be the case.

“There is a huge amount of community spirit and support for the pub in the village. We think it is definitely a viable pub.”

South Hinksey residents have since operated a “mock pub” scheme in their own homes, but this is under threat because of its sheer popularity.

Mr Porter said: “We are struggling to keep hosting it because too many people are attending.”

South Hinksey Parish Council chairman Maggie Rawcliffe said: “At this point we still oppose the plans to turn the General Elliot into a house, but I cannot comment further at the moment.”

The original application was submitted in February to change to use of the pub from a drinking establishment and dwelling to just a house. A date has yet to be set for the appeal, which will be decided in an informal hearing, but comments on the application have to be with the Planning Inspectorate by August 29.

The Vale Brewery Company was unavailable for comment.