The community group hoping to turn the Queen's Head back to a functional pub and village meeting space have been boosted by a report showing the business would be viable.

A report by the respected Plunkett Foundation has outlined how the Save the Erwarton Queen Head group could successfully re-open the village pub and turn it into community run, not for profit, business.

Although the figures in the report have been kept under wraps at the moment for commercial confidentiality reasons, the group is confident a bid could be successful if talks could be held.

The group has already raised £75,000 towards funding and is keen to negotiate with the owners, although a dozen attempts to contact them have so far failed to get a response.

Despite previously failing in a bid to change the use of the pub to residential and losing an appeal, building owner Mrs Claire Niewiarowski has applied once again to convert the group floor into residential use.

Mrs Niewiarowski is relying on a report commissioned by the owners to show the pub is no longer viable and employment uses have been fully explored.

She is relying on a marketing plan, conducted in conjunction with pub sale specialists Everard Cole, as requested by Babergh District Council.

However, William Wrinch, chairman of the Save the Erwarton Queen Head group has pointed out the owners have refused to to engage with the community group and has also questioned the integrity of the marketing and genuine desire to sell the pub.

The issue will be discussed at an Erwarton Parish meeting to be held at the dimly lit St Mary's Church tomorrow (Tuesday, 21 March).

Mrs Niewiarowski has already had an application for change of use refused by Babergh, and her appeal to the Secretary of State failed.

The main issues against the attempt to convert the downstairs of the pub into a residential space was is whether or not there is sufficient justification for the conversion of the public house.

The new application can be viewed on the Babergh planning website here using reference DC/23/01002

Erwarton Queen's Head campaign group launched

Community pub (Picture: Nub News)