RESIDENTS of an isolated Ryedale village who have to make a 14-mile round trip to buy groceries are set to have plans refused to turn part of a former pub into a shop.

In November 2001, after the foot and mouth epidemic hit their business, Janet and Dale Sowerby turned their public house and hotel, at Ganton Hill, between Staxton and Foxholes, into a home.

Now, after extensive consultation with people living in nearby Staxton, Foxholes, Ganton and Wold Newton, the parents-of-two have applied to Ryedale District Council to turn two rooms into a convenience store with parking.

"We are trying to do something for the community by bringing something they can use every day," said Mrs Sowerby. "We plan to run a delivery service so people like the elderly who can't get out to the shop will be provided for. This shop is sorely needed - if people need to buy a loaf of bread it's a 14-mile round trip."

The couple received 69 signatures supporting their proposal, and help from the Countryside Agency's Vital Villages scheme.

But the council's planning officers have recommended refusal because of highways issues.

The Highways Authority has objected to the proposal, because it requires a clear visibility of 160m along the highway in both directions, which is currently obstructed by trees and bushes. The authority also objects because customers would have to cross the busy B1247 to get from the car park to the shop.

Planning officers also recommended refusal on the grounds that "the site is situated in open countryside in an out-of-town location, and the applicant has failed to demonstrate that no suitable sites or buildings suitable for conversion can be found within a suitable out -of-centre location".

Mrs Sowerby said: "We ran a pub on exactly the same site and there were no highway safety issues then," said Mrs Sowerby. "The main criticism is that we are outside the village. They're saying we should open a shop at the disused petrol station in the centre of the village, but we own our premises, and no one's going to give us the petrol station."

If the business was given the go-ahead, two new part-time sales assistant positions would be created.

The planning committee will discuss the application at a meeting tonight.

Updated: 12:38 Tuesday, December 09, 2003