Pub lovers were celebrating today after a controversial application to turn Terrington's only watering hole turned into a house was refused by planning chiefs.

Robert and Jill Snowdon had applied to turn the Bay Horse Inn into a private house.

The application came before Ryedale District Council's northern area planning committee last night and was refused, as planning officers had recommended.

Coun Robert Wainwright (Ind, Hovingham) whose ward includes Terrington, said the application did not "satisfy the criteria" permitting closure.

There has been fierce resistance from locals eager to see the pub remain open.

Last month, Terrington Parish Council held a special open meeting to gauge villagers' reaction to the proposal. Residents made it clear they wanted the Bay Horse to remain open.

On hearing of last night's decision, Coun John Goodwill, chairman of the parish council said: "We put our point across at the meeting and it has been observed by Ryedale District Council."

Geoff Henman, from the Campaign for Real Ale, had also called for the pub to stay open. Mr Henman, who is from York and said he has been to the pub, but not as a regular, commented: "Ryedale council did write telling me what their decision was going to be so I'm pleased. I just hope efforts can be made to make the pub a real going concern."

Mr Henman also said pubs, as an essential part of the community, should pay lower business rates in a similar way to village shops.

Lt Col Colin Stoner, who lives opposite the Bay Horse Inn, said:

"I believe the parish council had an open meeting, where the majority wanted keep the pub as a pub. That is what most of us feel and so I wrote a letter (to Ryedale District Council) to say it is a great pub and I would be very sad to see it close. I do not feel I can comment any further than that."

Mr Snowdon said: "I have got no comment to make at this time, only that I will be going to appeal."

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire MP John Grogan has urged landlords to back a campaign to stop hundreds of rural pubs closing.

The MP for Selby called on publicans to write to their MPs to pressurise them to back a Commons motion demanding rate relief for rural pubs.

He stressed this financial support could be a "critical £1,000" for many pubs and highlighted that rural pubs were often the "lifeblood" of rural communities which had lost their shop, post office and school.

He told 50 landlords at Westminster yesterday that nearly 100 MPs had already backed the campaign for 50 per cent rate relief for pubs in communities of fewer than 3,000 people.

The Government was seeking measures for its Countryside White Paper to "demonstrate its commitment" to rural folk and the Rural Group of Labour MPs was backing the pub campaign.

Mr Grogan added: "There is a real possibility of winning on this issue."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.