DAYS look numbered for a 119-year-old York neighbourhood pub, after plans were drawn up to turn it into housing.

The Jubilee, in Balfour Street off Leeman Road, opened in 1897 but developers now want to turn it into six flats.

A planning application has been submitted for the pub to be converted into four two bedroomed flats and two one bedroomed flats, with parking spaces and bike and bin stores.

Pub company Enterprise Inns is selling the building to Wakefield based Tri-Core developments, who have made the planning application, but the development news has come as a shock to regulars who say they will be devastated to lose the popular local.

>>> OLD PHOTOS: 38 pubs York has lost 

Alex Willmott lives nearby, and captains the Jubilee's pool team set up less than a year ago. Although locals knew of the sale, he said, they did not know of the conversion plans.

He added: "If the planning application goes through to turn the Jubilee pub into flats, I think that will be a sad day for Leeman Road and York.

"The pub is a family-oriented business that serves a lot of streets around that part of Leeman Road, which will only have one pub left at all, if the Jubilee closes. Three years ago we had three pubs on Leeman road, until the Junction was replaced with accommodation.

"This seems to be happening again to the detriment of the local community."

>>> OLD PHOTOS: 38 pubs York has lost 

A design and access statement produced by planning agents Ormerod Design says competition from cafes and bars in the city centre has made it hard for the owners to keep customers, and has left the business facing financial difficulty.

The area was once home to three popular pubs - The Jubilee, The Junction, and the Leeman Hotel. The Junction - York's first pub to have its own brewery in modern times - closed suddenly in early 2013. If the Jubilee follows suit that will leave only the Leeman - now the Leeman Rose - serving the densely populated streets in the area.

York Press:

The Jubilee opened in 1897 and was named in celebration of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. In 2012, locals and staff celebrated another diamond jubilee together with a party to mark the current Queen's 60 years on the throne, pictured above.