VILLAGERS are making a last ditch attempt to get an historic South Lakeland hostelry listed before it is demolished and turned into offices.

The Lake District National Park Authority last week gave permission for the Lindale Inn, at Lindale, near Grange-over-Sands, to be converted by Hadwins Audi into car sales and office space.

But residents are now battling to get the inn, once known as The Commercial in the 1900s, listed to protect it for future generations.

Resident and former university lecturer Sylvia Woodhead believed that the pub once belonged to the famous iron master John Wilkinson. The inn was part of a lot he sold along with his Castle Head estate in 1828.

Mrs Woodhead said since the Lake District has been crowned as a World Heritage Site more should have been done to protect the building under that same inscription.

"The inn is part of this village's history and identity," she said. "Once this building goes most of our heritage will disappear, and once it's gone, its gone.

"It's been an unlucky building and has gone through some bad spells but it has been at the centre of the village's activity for so long."

Mrs Woodhead recalled that she used to go the pub every birthday and every anniversary before it shut in 2015.

She added:"It's just a shame we didn't act fast enough as a community, perhaps we can still make something out of it as the inn is an iconic impersonation of Lindale."

Pat Rowlands, a member of Cartmel Peninsular History Society, said the village has now lost two very historic and important buildings following the closure of St Paul's Parish Church last month.

"It's very important to maintain the feel of the village and it (the inn) was part of the landscape," she said "Every village has it's own history which needs to be preserved.

"It's great that Audi brings a lot of business and it's a new part of history but to demolish the inn doesn't sit right at all. Everything will change in Lindale."

The small village already has an Audi garage, which sits on the roundabout next to the former inn, and the company has been using the pub's car park for it's own vehicles.

The car company refused to comment about its plans for the historic building when contacted by the Gazette.

Mrs Woodhead hoped the garage would still want to maintain some of the village's history. She said: "I hope the garage will agree to retain at least the facade of the Lindale Inn. I hope they can find some way to incorporate this into their plans."