RESIDENTS have protested against a proposal to convert the last newsagents in their village into a fish and chip shop.

Some 50 Bourton-on-the-Water residents gathered outside the shop at 11.30am yesterday, with various councillors making speeches objecting to the closure.

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson took a letter of opposition to the property owner's home, calling on him to reconsider the proposal.

The protesters carried signs with the messages 'please don't take-away our newsagents' and 'community not cash' written on them.

Paul Hodgkinson said: "The campaign has grown as it's progressed. It's accelerated a lot in the last few days.

"More than 100 people have objected to the application on the council website. We want a dialogue with the landlord.

"This newsagent has been here for 70 years, to lose this is a very big deal. The business is viable."

Residents are frustrated about the dwindling numbers of shops catering for locals, instead of the booming numbers of tourists.

Cllr Hodgkinson said: "Tourism is important, it brings in lots of money and trade but there are still 3,500 residents living in the village.

"They have just that one newsagent left and want it to continue like it has done.

"Business is important but surely business and community can work together. This is the time for everyone to stand up and be counted."

Cllr Hodgkinson added: "I put a posting out on Facebook about the protest and it had 1,500 views which is huge.

"So many people have shared it, we were not expecting anywhere near that number."

The post has been shared more than 100 times on Facebook, with residents posting messages of support for the protesters.

Emma Lousie Mosses wrote: "They can't shut this. I grew up using this shop every Saturday. What's the beautiful village coming too?"

The letter of opposition was signed by district and county councillors and taken to the Bourton News landlord's home, which is in the village.

"The letter says there's widespread dismay and we would like the landlord to reconsider his plans," Cllr Hodgkinson said.

Lloyd De la Haye, who owns the property, said: "The newsagents tenure will come to an end in March regardless of the planning decision.

"It will always be our intention to move the fish and chip shop takeaway into the bigger premises as its current premisses is far to small to provide for the increasing demand of this business."

The owner said he agreed with lots of the comments regarding the application about Bourton suffering from a 'Blackpool effect'.

He added that his family do not want to hurt the village, instead they want to create a traditional establishment in keeping with its character.

"If a newsagents is such an important asset to the village it won’t be missing for very long," he said.

"There are a number of retail units that are empty that would be better positioned to act as the hub of the village."

The owner says Phil Ralph, who runs the newsagents, does intend to retire and pointed to a sales advert for the newsagents.

The landlord says this shows Mr Ralph has no intention of running the newsagents long term and added that it mentions his retirement five times throughout.

He added that there are numerous other local businesses which can provide newspapers, snacks, lottery tickets, cards and gifts.

Cllr Hodgkinson claims Mr Ralph, who does not wish to comment, is not intending to retire.