A PLEA has been made to save the ground floor of a pub which could be turned into housing.

Plans were revealed last month to transform the three-storey Gardeners Arms in the centre of Haddington.

The historic venue, on the town’s Kilpair Street, dates back hundreds of years, with The Fraternity of Gardeners of East Lothian once based in the town.

They purchased a property which contained an inn on the corner of Market Street.

However, last orders may have been called at the pub, which has not been open for about three years.

Flats would be created on each floor of the building under DSI Properties Ltd’s plans.

Haddington’s community council did not object to the proposals but felt that the plans could be altered to keep the ground floor available for business use.

The proposals suggest the insignia painted on the front of the building would be retained, something which was welcomed by the group.

Paul Darling, one of the community council’s planning liaison officers, said: “I’m not averse to two flats but would quite like to see the bottom house kept for retail, personally.”

That view was backed by colleagues Pat Lemmon and Graham Samuel during the virtual meeting.

The discussions came after it was highlighted that a number of businesses had moved into neighbouring High Street in recent months, despite the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions.

Chris McEwan, chairman of the community council, said: “I quite agree with what is being said.

“We have got businesses coming into the town and there have been three opening in recent months, even during the year we have had.

“Keeping another retail opportunity there, especially in that part of town, is a good idea.”

Community councils are given the opportunity to provide their views on any planning application.

East Lothian Council’s planning department aims to make a decision on the application by the end of the month.

The Haddington group agreed to write to East Lothian Council about the proposals, with community councillor John Hamilton suggesting it was “a preference rather than an insistence” that the business unit on the ground floor remain in place.

A supporting statement included within the planning application highlights the difficulties facing pubs and the lack of apparent interest in someone taking over the Gardeners.

It reads: “The property was sold recently to our client.

“It had ceased to operate as a public house almost three years ago and had been marketed for sale without interest.

“The climate in that market has not been good for some time and will become even more difficult following the current Covid outbreak

and the economic fallout from this.

“It is clear that an alternative use for the property needs to be found if it is not to fall into disrepair.

“With this in mind, our clients opted for residential use.

“More and more properties in town and city centres are being given up to residential use in an attempt to bring life back to them and help sustain existing business outlets which have managed to keep trading.”