THE landlady of a pub earmarked for demolition has remained defiant that the pub will remain open for the foreseeable future.

Wyre Forest District Council planning chiefs last month gave delegated approval to a plan to demolish the Eagles Nest Pub in Kidderminster and replace it with four houses and 10 flats.

Landlady, Rachel Watson, 28, said the pub would stay open and that she was determined to stay and make a success of it.

She said: "I have to be persuaded to leave, one way or the other. They can't just kick me out until the end of my five-year tenancy period.

"I have three children and it's not fair for them to have to move. We definitely want to stay. As far as I am concerned we are here for the foreseeable future."

Mrs Watson admitted she was unsure whether there was anything she could do but repeated that her plan was to bring back as many customers as possible.

She said: "I feel under a tremendous amount of pressure and it's not getting any easier. I'm still optimistic though and am hoping our new menu will take off."

Mrs Watson said many customers thought the pub was already closed and were surprised to come in and still see people at the bar.

She said: "I chose this pub because it is in the middle of the Ferndale estate. I wanted to be in the heart of the community and every community needs a venue where they people can meet up."

She added that without the pub, elderly customers would be "homebound", with other meeting places beyond walking distance. Younger customers, meanwhile, would have nowhere to go on the estate.

Mrs Watson explained: "People just seem to accept things in this country and do nothing when they lose another facility. If this was France, people would be up in arms, blocking the roads, you name it.

She said: "I think this pub has the potential to be a success. We just need support and for people to know we are still open."