Articles and interviews have been appearing this week on the ‘continued fight for the Albert Inn’.

Unfortunately they are all in vain as the council had already decided the fate of the Albert before Wednesday’s planning meeting.

What is the point in asking people for their views on the planning application if the decision has been made?

The councillors present thought it was better to have flats than nothing. There was no question in their minds that the Albert was a goner due to it failing over the last few years since Punch bought it up. There was no thought that under better management it could be made a pleasurable and profitable pub again – as it used to be.

There was no thought – apart from two councillors – that it is a great loss to the community, and events in Wyke Square just aren’t the same without the pub to meet up in. There was no thought that they could have told the developer that the pub should be retained with two flats above it, as has happened with a Wiltshire pub bought by the same developer.

It was all done and dusted before the planning application notice went up on the door. What a farce. Watch out, the next one to go will be the Ferrybridge.

Don’t bother asking the council to save it.

Alex Bardswell, Westhill Road, Wyke Regis