THE campaign to save a much-loved York pub was boosted this week when the local was confirmed as an "Asset of Community Value".

The Melbourne, on Cemetery Road, has been under threat of closure since alcohol and drug addiction charity Changing Lives began moves to buy the building from owners Enterprise Inns.

They planned to turn it into a drop-in centre for recovering addicts, but a campaign was launched by locals and regulars who did not want to see the pub lost.

On Monday night council leader Chris Steward agreed that the pub was used as a community amenity, and people in the area should be given the chance to continue its use.

Ward councillor Dave Taylor welcomed the move, saying: "This is great news, it gives the publicans chance to show what they can do, and the community chance to get behind the Melbourne and show it can be financially viable."

Neighbour Claire Gibb said the campaigners were thrilled with the decision, which will put the brakes on the sale plans and give locals chance to support the pub's new managers.

Asset of Community Value (ACV) regulations mean the building cannot now be sold without the community being given six weeks to decide whether to bid for it, and another six months to put together an offer.

Claire added: "I don't think people realise the turn around the pub has had since January.

"People from the street go in there now, and we socialise with each other in the pub.

"The ACV hopefully gives us chance to prove to Enterprise that it is a very different business now."

At the same decision sessions Cllr Steward approved an application for Holgate Allotments to be listed as Assets of Community Value, but turned down a similar application for the Clementhorpe Maltings building.

Council officials had warned Cllr Steward that the maltings building did not fulfil the ACV regulations as it had not been used for community amenity.

In addition, a sale contract had already been signed between the City of York Council and developers Northminster, meaning the sale became formal when planning permission was granted earlier this month and could not be stopped by an ACV listing.