Campaigners fighting for a former pub to be kept for the community have applied for it to be listed as a protected asset.

The St Helier Pub Group (SHPG) has applied to Merton Council for the Morden Tavern in Central Road to be listed as an “asset of community value” under the Community Right to Bid initiative introduced by the Localism Act in 2011.

The scheme allows a six-month period for commuity groups to bid for a property should it be placed on the market.

A spokesman for SHPG said: “The group has long campaigned to have this community space returned to its rightful place as the centre of our community life to be run by and for the members of the St Helier Community.

“The SHPG has made a long and considered study into how such a purchase might be achieved and we believe that a competitive bid can be made on part or the entire Morden Tavern site.”

The previously council-owned pub was sold to developer Reef Estates in January which previously made an application to Merton Council to demolish the pub and turn it into flats, but permission was refused.

If SHPG’s bid is accepted the pub would be listed as a community asset for five years during which campaigners could be in with a chance of buying it should it be sold.

Merton Council have as yet not accepted any buildings as community assets, and refused an application to add Mitcham fire station to the list in January 2013.

To sign the petition visit petitions.merton.gov.uk/epetition_core/community /activepetitions.