PLANS to demolish a historic Dorchester pub to build flats and shops have hit their first hurdle.

Town councillors who met at the Corn Exchange last night gave the project the thumbs-down and said the designs, put forward by Blandford-based brewers Hall and Woodhouse, were too outlandish to fit in with the rest of the county town.

A computer generated image of the proposed development of 16 flats and two shops was condemned as looking like a department store.

Coun Tim Harries blasted the brewers as "carpet-baggers" and said: "They should stick to brewing and leave the development to other people.

"We should fight tooth and nail to keep this building as it is."

Coun Alan Beard said: "A modern building in that part of town is out of keeping with the rest of the site."

Coun Susie Hosford said: "Is it realistic for shop units to be let?

"We do not want them to be left lying empty in that part of town."

Coun Molly Rennie said: "None of the units strike me as being what I would call affordable housing."

But Coun Fiona Kent-Ledger urged members to take a fresh view to new buildings springing up in Dorchester and said: "It would be nice to have modern building in the town - we do not want to appear fuddy-duddy."

Coun Trevor Jones said that he supported the principle of redevelopment but suggested that the architectural drawings be redesigned and brought before the committee again.

Dorchester Civic Society and the Thomas Hardy Society have also hit out at the plans, claiming they would destroy a Dorchester landmark, affect a conservation area and harm tourism.

The hotel, which is in High East Street, featured in Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd and three short stories.