A VILLAGE pub near York could be lost if a planning application to turn it into a pharmacy gets the go-ahead.

The Greyhound Inn, in Dunnington closed recently, and has been put on the market by pub company Enterprise Inns.

Now local businessman Elliot Goran has applied to City of York cCouncil for permission to turn the pub into a pharmacy, with two residential flats above.

Documents submitted with the planning application show that the Greyhound’s owners do not believe it has a future as a pub business, and want to sell the site.

In a design and access statement, the applicant wrote: “The Greyhound has had a succession of temporary tenants over the past few years, none of whom has been able to make it viable.

“Over the past six months of marketing, there has been no interest from any other prospective public house operator – only those wishing to convert the property into residential use have expressed interest.”

The papers go on to say that with the village’s other pub, The Cross Keys, not far away – which has more space, parking and facilities to serve food, it would be difficult to make a successful business at The Greyhound, and between it and The Windmill, the community is well served by pubs.

The papers also say that Mr Goran is looking for an alternative home for his pharmacy business, which currently trades further up York Road in a property where the lease is due to expire soon.

While the pub does not need planning permission to be converted into a pharmacy, a new owner would need permission to make changes to the front facade and to sub-divide the existing home to create another flat above.

Although the building is not actually listed, it is in Dunnington’s conservation area, and both it and the existing pharmacy shop are outlined in the village design statement as a valuable asset for the village.

After The Greyhound’s closure, Dunnington’s councillor and parish council vice chairman Jenny Brooks suggested the village should apply for The Cross Keys to be listed as an Asset of Community Value.

This would mean that the community would have the chance to bid for the pub if The Cross Keys was ever to be put on the market, stopping it from being sold to a private bidder and ensuring the village was not left without a traditional pub.