RESIDENTS are looking for support in a bid to get their village pub reopened.

The Pheasant, in Welland, near Malvern, closed in July 2010, prompting villagers to maintain a nightly vigil for 13 weeks, gathering outside to show a community presence and protect it from vandalism.

Now they are stepping up their campaign to have it reopened and are hoping to enlist the support of the community group Pub Is The Hub. They have also launched an online petition.

Campaigner Matt Moore said people feared there would be an application to redevelop the site for housing. He said: “Pub Is The Hub is willing to try and help, provided people are interested, which is why we want to publicise the petition.”

The pub’s freeholder is Peter Bailey, of Worcester-based Dalelong Property. Mr Moore said campaigners hope to work alongside him to secure the pub’s future.

Another campaigner, Roy Sumner, said: “The Pheasant is in a prominent position on the crossroads right in the heart of the village.

“It’s across the road from the church and the village hall, and the primary school is only a little further away. The pub is now boarded up and it’s an eyesore.”

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has already pledged its support. Spokes-man Mark Haslam said: “Welland is a sizeable community, and the Pheasant is centrally-located and has historically traded satisfactorily. We would support any effort by the community to get it back in use.”

The petition can be found at ipetitions.com/petition/thepheasant/.

Mr Bailey was unavailable for comment.