A PUB which has served its York neighbourhood for more than 150 years could be demolished.

Developers want to knock down The Locomotive in Watson Street, Holgate, and turn it into housing.

The pub dates back at least 159 years, but has struggled in recent years as the industry deals with the smoking ban, regular increases in alcohol duty, and supermarkets undercutting pubs with cheap alcohol.

If the pub does shut, it will be the latest in a spate in York, following the closure of the Fossway in Huntington Road and the proposed demolition of the White Rose in Cornlands Road, Acomb, which is currently before city council planners.

Matt Grant, chairman of the York branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “We seem to have had a spurt of closures after a quiet period. I know it has been struggling for quite a while and had a string of managers coming in. Unfortunately, this news is not very surprising.”

Developer Ancell Ltd has submitted a planning application to City of York Council, seeking to demolish the pub and build four town-houses.

In a statement, the developer’s agent, Andrew Jenkins, said The Locomotive had proved unviable as a pub, said there had been difficulties attracting and retaining managers, and said an auction earlier this year failed to attract any offers from pub operators.

He said changing demographics and The Locomotive’s location away from the main road meant it had no lasting customer base.

He said houses would be more suitable in what was already a heavily residential area, and said there were other pubs within walking distance that made the loss of The Locomotive more acceptable.

The Volunteer Arms, also in Watson Street, and The Crystal Palace, in Holgate Road, are both within walking distance.

According to Hugh Murray’s Directory Of York Pubs, published in 2004, the first recorded mention of The Locomotive was in 1851.