RESIDENTS are outraged at plans to turn the last newsagents in their village into a fish and chip shop.

A county councillor is campaigning to save the 'community hub' in Bourton-on-the-Water, encouraging residents to file objections to the application.

The Cotswold District Council website has received a raft of responses from local residents who oppose the conversion.

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, who represents Bourton and Northleach, said: "The thought of losing it now really is bad news.

"I'm very troubled by it because Bourton has expanded hugely over the last decade with more houses being built every week.

"We have 3,500 people and there's just one newsagent in the whole village."

Cllr Hodgkinson questioned the need for another takeaway and said the newsagents was one of the last remaining shops for residents - not tourists.

He added that neighbours meet each other on their daily visits to the newsagents and also buy a range of goods.

"It's really important people make their voice heard on this. It's the thin end of the wedge. Residents are being forgotten," he said.

"There's been lots of comments online. A lot of people in the village feel strongly about this."

There were more than 70 objections to the application on the district council website on October 17.

Residents have taken to Facebook to express their dismay at the prospect of losing the village newsagents.

Jane Vinar wrote: "Bourton needs more shops that are useful for locals not yet another restaurant for tourists.

"The village is rapidly at risk of turning into a Disneyland for tourists."

Byron Sherborne wrote: "A lot of residents have been saying for years that there should be some sort of legal cap on how many restaurants and takeaways Bourton has or needs."

Verity Edwards-Flaherty wrote: "As a local business owner I buy a lot of stationary, cards etc in there! I'd be very sad to see it go, the staff are great too!"

Others have said the application reflects the gentrification of the Cotswolds.

Cllr Hodgkinson says the lease expires in March and after this the newsagents would have to look for a new premises.

Lloyd De la Haye, who owns the property, says there is no guarantee the newsagents would be kept regardless of their application.

He added that Phil Ralph, who runs the newsagents, is retiring and selling the business.

"The intention for the newsagents is to become the new fish and chip shop where we can provide a better service for the locals as well as the tourists," he said.

The landlord says the old fish and chip shop next door will close when the newsagents has been converted, by around April.

Cotswold District Council stopped accepting public comments about the application yesterday (Wednesday, October 19).

The Cotswold Journal approached Phil Ralph for comment.