VILLAGERS waving placards and wearing special campaign T-shirts are set to protest today in a bid to save their pub.

Protesters will be gathering at the Guildhall as they fight to revive the fortunes of the Tyn y Capel in Minera, which closed as a pub in February.

Wrexham Council’s planning committee is due to discuss a change of use planning application for the property to become a day care centre on the ground floor with offices on the first floor.

But, protesters have formed an action committee with the aim of running the Tyn y Capel as a community pub.

Chairman Gale Taylor said there has been an excellent response from residents throughout the area.

“We have enough people coming forward as volunteers to be able to set up a co-operative village community run pub and would like to lease the Tyn y Capel for that purpose from the owner,” said Mrs Taylor.

She emphasised there was already a successful similar operation running at the Raven in Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, Denbighshire, and the people behind that organisation have offered to share their expertise.

Mrs Taylor said the Tyn y Capel used to be highly regarded as a valuable facility for Minera and surrounding villages where people had been able to go and enjoy socialising.

“It was a rare and unique pub visited by families, pensioners and locals with a real community base. Since its closure in February the social loss has been growing as time goes on.”

The campaign group has sent details of its plans to members of Wrexham Council’s planning committee.

The owner of the Tyn y Capel declined to comment.

A report by Wrexham Council officers to the planning committee recommends the change of use application for the Tyn y Capel is rejected, saying: “Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the continued use of the building as a public house is no longer viable."