A PROPOSAL to demolish the Railway Inn in Yate, and a longstanding barbershop next door, has been issued to residents.

Whether or not the site has been marked for a new housing development is yet to be confirmed.

Mr Peter Crawford, who runs the Barber shop next door to the inn, received a prior notification of proposed demolition last week, which details plans to knock down the Railway Inn and associated buildings.

The 44-year-old business owner explained that the proposed demolition would “devastate” his barber shop, which has been trading for over 20 years.

He said: “It would be extremely difficult to move my business elsewhere.

“People know who we are because of the location – moving the shop would be like starting the business over again.”

The barber has started a paper petition to save the shop, which has received over 150 signatures. 

Richard Cole, 28, who works at the shop and has just purchased a house, also expressed his concern.

He said: “I’ve been working here for 11 years and it’s very worrying - this is my livelihood.”

The Railway Inn made news in September last year, when a 60-year-old man was charged with attempted murder.

It has had a variety of different landlords in recent years, but is described as a “building steeped in history” by local residents.

Cllr Chris Willmore (Yate North) said that she is “completely against” the demolition.

She said: “It’s not just any building and it’s very important in local terms - we want to preserve the history of the area.”

She urges residents to submit their objections to the proposal on the South Gloucestershire planning portal website.

Miss Jennifer Wass, a neighbour who lives opposite the site in question, strongly opposes the proposed demolition.

She said: “The Railway Inn is an old building with history linked to Yate.

“There are very few original properties left in Yate and we are killing the history of the area.”

She added: “I can't see on this planning application what is proposed to be built on the land after it's been demolished.

“If it's for modern style housing with limited parking then I object strongly to this - I do not want to look out of my property on to an ugly new build.”

John Rooney, the agent working on behalf of the developer UKS Group, could not confirm whether the site has been marked for housing.

He said: “Nothing is set in stone - at this stage the applicant is just applying for demolition of the site.”