Seven objections have so far been received as part of Allerdale Council’s consultation process on resubmission plans to convert a Mawbray pub back to a house.

One of the objections is from The Lowther Arms Community Project Limited, which launched a campaign in August 2019 to try to save the Lowther Arms pub and the campsite behind it.

The campaign is to have a community-owned pub, with facilities such as food, shop and courier point, after the community identified a need to retain these facilities in the village in a survey.

The group aims to raise the necessary funding through grants, loans, fundraising activities and a share offer.

The group acknowledges, in its letter to Allerdale council’s planning department, the difficulties that the vendors must be facing in marketing the pub in this tough economic climate and reiterate their willingness to work with them to achieve the common aim of keeping the pub as a community facility.

The objections to the plans included “a failure to consider ‘every effort’ and ‘endeavour to retain the community asset’ and “an Asset of Community Value will be lost, in place because the pub is vitally important for the community’s social and economic wellbeing and that Allerdale council has a planning policy to protect community services.”

The group members also say that they have not received a response to their offer letter made to purchase the pub. In their objection letter to the council, they say: “to date, we have not received a response to our offer to say whether it is accepted, rejected or negotiable.”

The Lowther Arms Community Project has the backing of the Plunkett Foundation’s More Than A Pub programme.

This is a community pub business support programme, which is giving specialist business advice, some grants and potential £100k grant and loan.

The programme has been established to help support community ownership of pubs in England.

A spokesman from the LACPL group said: “After a pause to evaluate the Covid-19 situation, the Plunkett Foundation’s More Than A Pub programme (which is supporting our activity with advice, some grants and potential £100k grant and loan), has now resumed on a more limited basis.

“We are exceptionally fortunate to be amongst a very small number of groups who will continue to receive support, that enables us to proceed with a share offer and community buyout. Understandably, at the moment, most of the Plunkett Foundation’s resources are focused on supporting existing, open, community enterprises.”

Vendors, Mr and Mrs Anson, did not want to comment.

The resubmission of plans for The Lowther Arms pub, Mawbray, were made to the council on May 5 and the public have until June 12 to respond to the consultation.

Plans can be found at Allerdale Council’s planning portal under reference FUL/2020/0089