THE new landlady of the Three Tuns Hotel in Thirsk and local residents have won a battle to stop a public footpath running through the hotel car park.

The long running saga of the path has generated mixed feelings in the town.

Landlady Mary Nelson spearheaded the fight to prevent the footpath becoming a public right of way.

The path runs alongside the Three Tuns Hotel through to Chapel Street and some people have argued that it is a vital link between the swimming baths, the market place and the shops.

Thirsk Town Council and Sowerby parish councils have been fighting to get the path reopened for at least four years.

The town council wanted to claim the path as a public right of way and submitted supporting letters and evidence of use forms from residents with its application to North Yorkshire County Council.

The previous owner of the Three Tuns erected a gate, but tied it only loosely with a chain to prevent cars going through, leaving access for walkers and people with pushchairs. Then, in 1999, the gate was locked.

Mrs Nelson said she was worried about the security of the hotel car park and people living in the new homes next to the path had safety fears.

She said she had never discounted that the public had used the path in the past, even after it had been blocked off to cars, but she said it had never been a public right of way.

She was delighted when Hambleton county committee of the county council voted to keep the path closed.

It is the second time that an owner of the hotel has successfully prevented the town council claiming the footpath as a public route. In 1956 the then owner, William Youngers Brewery, did the same.

Thirsk Town Council has the right to appeal against the decision.