NEIGHBOURS of a much-loved York pub have condemned plans to demolish the building and replace it with plush homes.

A packed meeting of the Fishergate Ward Committee voted to "object strongly" to Jones Homes' plans to pull down the Gimcrack pub, in Fulford Road, and replace the Victorian-style villa with 19 three-storey town houses.

Neighbourhood co-ordinator Sheila Fletcher said: "It was a very emotive meeting; a great many residents came together to draw up this motion, so clearly there's a lot of deep feeling about this issue."

A spokesman for Jones Homes said today: "This is still a very new application

"We haven't had any discussions with the planners yet, and we don't expect to do so until next month."

Updated: 11:17 Wednesday, January 30, 2002