Villagers in Sharow have joined the parish council in voicing opposition to plans that would see The Half Moon Inn become a single private dwelling.

The closing date for views on the planning application to be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council is next week. Twenty-five letters of objection from the public have been lodged – and there have been no letters of public support at the time of writing.

The Half Moon, located on Sharow Lane, opened in 1822 and closed four years ago, but Sharow Parish Council wants the building to be registered as an asset of community value (ACV) in the hope that it could re-open as a pub.

Sharow parish clerk Nick Reed told The Stray Ferret:

“There is a strength of opposition to the proposed change of use and a growing wish in the village to see it registered as an ACV. We would seek outside help with this.”

In a letter to the council’s planning department, Mr Reed said: “Our main objection is that converting a historic village pub into a private residence would be of enormous detriment to life within the parish.”

He added:

“The conversion of this building into a private residential house would result in the loss of the pub as a community facility.”

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The premises have been marketed for let under their existing usage – as ‘restaurant and bar with accommodation’ – but the parish council argues that all options for continuance as a pub have not been fully explored.

Should villagers be successful in having The Half Moon registered as an ACV, they will be following in the footsteps of Kirkby Malzeard, where members of the local community have raised more than £200,000 in a bid to prevent residential redevelopment of a site occupied by The Henry Jenkins Inn.