THE Friends of Haden Cross Inn are celebrating tonight after Sandwell Council's planning committee voted down New River Retail’s application.

Councillors from the committee visited the Halesowen Road pub for a site visit concerning the plan to build a Co-op supermarket on the car park.

Friends chairman Tim Haskey said: "We are thrilled with the support to the community demonstrated by Sandwell Council officers and councillors, who we were confident all along, would be able to rely upon, despite the best endeavour of New River Retail and the corporate strategies they have undertaken throughout the whole of this campaign, going back to its initiation in November 2014.

“We are struggling to comprehend how New River Retail can come back with a further application, due to the fundamental refusal reasons and unique nature of this site together with the vociferous views of the local community, who wish to retain the status quo.”

He added: “We hope that New River will now take this on board and consider how they can obtain best value from their ACV listed public house, and invest in the development of pub itself, rather than wasting further capital on unwanted convenience store plans.”

“The last 12 months has been disturbing for the local community and regular users of the pub who now we feel they can finally relax and enjoy the benefits that it offers already as a social community hub. “The Haden Cross Inn has served the local community for over 100 years and has huge potential to grow and thrive beyond what it does at present.”