A NEW bid to replace the Home Style shop in Evesham's Market Square with a theme pub has been launched.

Retail pub chain SFI and the shop's landlord Trans European Investments want to gut Home Style and the empty unit next door to invest nearly £1m in a traditional pub catering for all tastes, with music and dancing, no smoking areas and a quiet library area.

Nine months ago another pub chain, Scottish & Newcastle Retail, applied to open a theme pub in the same units, but the plans were thrown out by Wychavon District Council.

At the time Home Style director Dennis Jones breathed a sigh of relief because if the plans had been successful his business, which employs 15 people, would have been forced out.

Now the same situation has arisen again and Mr Jones is gearing up for another fight.

"Thousands of customers signed a petition to keep our shop, and the campaign to stay open was successful - now we have got to start all over again because this is a different application," he said.

Trans European Investments spokesman Bill Harkness, who manages the units in Riverside and Market Square, said: "Dennis Jones has signed a six monthly re-development contract, and knows there's nothing he can do if we want him out.

"The previous applicants Scottish and Newcastle decided not to go to appeal, but SFI are determined to go all the way on this," he added.

But Evesham Town Council has thrown its weight behind Home Style by deciding to oppose the plans.

Councillor Jo Sandalls said: "We should reject them for the same reasons as before. It goes against our Town Plan which is to retain retail outlets in Market Square. Home Style is a good busy shop and we do not wish to lose it."

Julian Lavey, director of estate development at SFI, said: "We want to provide an upmarket freehouse to all types of people including professionals wanting a lunchtime meal, those who want an evening meal and a dance afterwards, or people simply wanting to come in for a drink and read the paper quietly. We could help to raise pub standards in Evesham."