Public meeting called over plans to demolish popular Doncaster pub and restaurant

Proposals have been drawn up to knock down The Mayflower in Austerfield and to build a 12-flat apartment block in its place.

Austerfield Parish Council has called a meeting to discuss the plans later this week, when villagers and those interested in the development will be able to have their say.

It will take place at the Austerfield Study Centre at 7pm on Thursday.

The proposal to knock down the pub was received by Doncaster Council shortly before Christmas.

Pub owner Rob Hudson has invested £350,000 of his own money transforming the venue from a struggling village local into a flourishing boutique hotel and fine dining venue.

In 2013 he said: “The traditional village pub is a dying trade.

“We’ve gone the other way and become more food orientated - the drinking trade is now really only a small part of what we are about.

“We’ve been here for three years and if pubs want to survive, then they have to diversify.

“In an industry like ours, you don’t get any leeway from the customer - you have to get it spot on every time and stay one step ahead of the game.

“Trying to get people in with a game of bingo is a thing of the past, but there are many pubs out there who don’t realise that and they are the ones that are suffering.”