RESIDENTS fighting to save the only pub in a small North Yorkshire village say they are upbeat about the future following a meeting with brewery officials this week.

Concerned locals crowded into the bar of The Crown Inn, at Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, on Wednesday for the second meeting in seven days with a senior representative of new owners Jennings Bros plc.

The meetings were arranged by residents who were fearful for the pub's future.

The pub was sold to the Cumbrian-based company in December, but dwindling customer numbers had raised concerns it could call time for good.

A 70-strong petition and a series of letters from concerned villagers had been sent to brewery headquarters in Cockermouth.

Petition organiser Val Dobson said both meetings with the brewery had been useful, particularly the one on Wednesday where the community had received assurances about the pub's future and the owners had taken on board concerns expressed by residents.

The meeting was told the brewery will be appointing a landlord who will live on the premises.

"We were ready to battle, but that might not happen now," said Mrs Dobson.

"We are certainly much happier now than when we started our campaign."

Mrs Dobson said campaigners hoped the brewery would put in place plans to revitalise the pub within the next two months.

The Crown became Grewelthorpe's only pub when the neighbouring Hackfall Inn was converted into housing several years ago.