John Les Tomos fears the Y Dderwen/Royal Oak in Hendre, near Mold – which dates back more than 300 years – won't be able to survive more than six months.

Mr Tomos, who has run the Royal Oak for 11 years, has tried to diversify to attract new customers, but has struggled to do so due to a combination of planning problems and a lack of funds.

The pub has been up for sale, but hasn't attracted a buyer.

Now, planning chiefs have granted him permission to convert the pub into a house and use the building solely as his home, but he insists this is a last resort.

His final plan to save the pub is to put a touring caravan park on the nearby field, in the hope of attracting more customers.

He said: "I'm having talks with the planning authorities about this, and I hope it goes ahead.

"People in the village will be very disappointed if the pub closes."
There has been a pub at the site, on Denbigh Road in Hendre, for more than three centuries.

After the Cilcain mine disaster in the late 19th century, the inquests into the deaths of 12 men are said to have been held there.

However, it has been losing money due to rising costs and competition from big pub chains.

Earlier this year it became one of many pubs in the region to bar Chancellor Alistair Darling in protest at increases on alcohol duty.

Community leaders say it would be a tragedy if the pub closes.

Flintshire Council's planning committee dealt with a raft of applications from landlords wanting to call 'time' on their establishments at its latest meeting.

The former Victoria Inn, Bagillt, is to be demolished and replaced with seven houses.

Meanwhile, plans to demolish Mancot Conservative Club to make way for 11 homes were deferred.

Holywell Cllr Gareth Roberts said: "This is a sign of the times. Only a couple of years ago we had a policy of trying to safeguard vital community facilities, such as pubs."Pubs are the traditional centres of our communities."