LOSTOCK Gralam residents cherish The Slow and Easy pub, which plays a huge role in the community.

So says pub company area manager Andrew Oldfield in an impassioned plea to planners to spare the pub from the bulldozer.

Andrew is area manager for Riverside Pubs and Bars, which took on the lease on The Slow and Easy from Punch Taverns last year.

The pub is earmarked for demolition to pave the way for housing under plans submitted by Punch to Cheshire West and Chester Council.

“The Slow and Easy has had its ups and down over the years, but since we acquired the lease we have had a spectacular time turning this public house into a community asset,” said Andrew in a letter to the council.

“The dedication to serve the community well is evident by the multiple awards we have won since we took over.

“Our community events are proving to be a huge hit with the community, and the daily use of the pub is constantly rising, showing the immense importance the site has to the people of Northwich.”

He said he understood why the planning application had been submitted as the pub had not been used to its full potential, and the community was not gaining any benefit from it.

However his company had transformed the pub, he said, and it was now at the heart of the community.

“There are other sites in the surrounding areas that are more fitting for the development of new homes without demolishing the heart of the community,” he added.

“The site is not suitable for a residential development being situated on a very congested main road, and is something the community do not want or need.

“We have developed The Slow and Easy massively, but still had to put an enormous number of plans on hold due to this application.

“We have earmarked a large sum of money to the projects we have planned for the site to further involve the community, particularly looking to offer more for the elderly.

“The pub is unique and cherished by the local community.”