The battle to save the Frog Hall Inn has gone into cyberspace.

Alongside the petition in the pub and local businesses, there is now a chance to sign up on the Internet to stop the popular pub being replaced by a drive-through McDonalds.

"Frog Hall Inn, the much beloved public house situated in Layerthorpe, York, is under threat of closure and demolition in favour of a McDonald's drive-through restaurant," reads the website.

"There are other locations where this chain of fast food restaurants could build their world-famous Golden Arches in York, without destroying a piece of our local heritage.

"An online petition will be made available soon from this site."

Website designer Paul Mann is among those fighting to keep the popular music venue open.

"I'm interested in music of all kinds and the Frog Hall is a valued resource," he told the Evening Press.

"I will do everything I can to keep the pub open." The site can be found at http://devoted.to/froghall.

A council spokesman confirmed the planning meeting was set to go ahead in June or July.

And landlord Wayne Allan said any planned closure of the pub would be in July or August.

Updated: 08:49 Friday, April 27, 2001