Support is growing for a newly-formed community group which is hoping to prevent a local pub being mothballed.

Over 100 people turned up for a meeting of Cottonmill Community Group on Tuesday evening including two district councillors who were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling about the closure of the King Offa pub in Wallingford Walk, St Albans.

The pub shuts this month and the district council is planning to demolish the building and replace it with affordable housing.

But that is unlikely to happen for a couple of years and the group wants to see it used by and for the local community rather than standing empty during that time.

In June the council invited submissions for temporary use of the pub and it is understood that around six have been received.

The community group has prepared a business plan for the pub and, after a request for additional information, it is expecting to get a response from the council next week.

Spokesman Chris Gilroy welcomed the fact that local councillors attended the meeting. He said: “We said to them we are glad you are here and as local councillors you have to fight our corner.”

He pointed out that with local bus services due to be cut in the evenings shortly following a county council decision, the Cottonmill community needed as much support as possible.

The community group has now got a dedicated email address cottomillcg@gmail.com and can also be found under Cottomill Community Group on Facebook.