Campaigners opposing the redevelopment of an historic town centre pub are calling on Watford Borough Council to reconsider its approval of the plans.

The project to turn The One Bell, in High Street - one of Watford's oldest pubs - into flats and a restaurant amounts to “cultural vandalism” and is destroying the town square, according to the Save Watford’s Town Square group.

On Saturday, supporters of the campaign collected more than 100 signatures on a petition calling for the council to cease work on the scheme immediately. 

Campaign organiser John Dowdle said members of the public were queuing up to sign the petition at times.

“The public response has heartened our campaign to save the town square, as local residents can see the appalling act of municipal vandalism being perpetrated upon our sole remaining public space on Watford High Street,” he said.

“We call upon all local residents to protest against this hideously negative development which was never authorised by one single elected local representative.”

Watford Observer:

Mr Dowdle appealed to interested residents to speak to the campaign group ahead of the next full council meeting on Tuesday, October 17.

He added: “We shall continue collecting signatures every Saturday afternoon between 1pm and 3pm in the town square, and will submit the full petition to the full council meeting on October 17.”