Protest planned outside Marston's head office to save pub from Morrisons

The group is now planning a protest outside Marston’s Wolverhampton head office to express their anger.

Campaigner and UKIP MEP, Bill Etheridge, told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​:  “It’s very important that we save the Seven Stars. It’s a family pub and a community pub and one of few in the area, there’s no other pub locals can easily get to. Turning the pub in to a Morrisons isn’t what the community wants and we’ve made that absolutely clear. We don’t need another supermarket. It’s an affront to local democracy.

“On the 11 August we will be getting a mini bus from the Seven Stars to the Marston’s head office and will protest outside to let people know now unhappy we are.”

Dudley council has been bombarded with letters objecting to the planning application. In one letter, local Labour MP Ian Austin wrote: “I am very concerned about the loss of a popular, profitable and well run pub.

Pubs like the Seven Stars are the heart of the community and the number of objections submitted to the council shows the depth of support for the pub and the strength of feeling many residents have that it should not be turned into a supermarket.”

The Save the Seven Stars group say they are increasingly concerned about the added pressure the supermarket would place on roads, the impact on local newsagents and a decrease in housing prices.

A petition to save the pub has attracted over 2,000 signatures. Marston's and Morrisons declined to comment.