THE SPORTSMANS Arms pub in Penketh is the third pub in the town to be given a protected status after a lively campaign to save the site from becoming a discount supermarket.

Warrington Borough Council listed the Sportsmans as an asset of community value on July 20, meaning that residents will be given six months to raise enough money to purchase it themselves.

The campaign to save the Warrington Road pub, which has been standing since 1850, was spearheaded by Penketh residents John and Becky Myers.

John said: “There’s been an awful lot of support and positive comments. We are very proud of the campaign. 

“This has been practically a full time job for the last seven months of our lives. We want to sit back and enjoy it now – I think we deserve a holiday.”

John and Becky toasted the news at the pub, where a party was organised to celebrate the ACV, before heading off on a well-earned break to Cornwall.

The Sportsmans Arms joins just two other pubs in the town, the Ring O’ Bells in Lower Stretton and the Star Inn in Statham, which have already been nominated assets of community value.

Discount supermarket chain Netto had applied for planning permission to build a new store on the site but more than 100 residents objected to the proposal.

On July 4 it was announced that Sainsbury’s will close all 16 Netto stores and abandon its joint venture with the supermarket.

Netto refused to comment on its plans to build a store on the site of the pub in Penketh.

The Save the Sportsmans Arms campaign attracted support from Penketh councillors David Keane, Linda Dirir and Allin Dirir, as well as Warrington North MP David Mowat and Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland.

CAMRA, a national organisation working for community pubs and consumer rights, helped John and Becky make the ACV application.

Although there is still work to be done to save the pub, John said he is taking a break from the campaign to enjoy this victory.

He said: “Becky gets stopped in the shop and bombarded with people asking her about what’s going to happen next.

“At the moment we are just putting our feet up and relishing that we have achieved something. I’m not going to say too much about our plans at this stage but watch this space.”