Campaigners hoping to reopen a historic South Norwood pub are calling on the “negligent” council to take action after discovering it has illegally been turned into flats.

The Ship served customers for more than 160 years until it closed its doors last June and a group called Save the Ship SE25 was formed to get it open again.

They said they have met with the owner about buying the pub and were hoping to be able to look round the property to see how much work needed to be done and what price to offer.

Instead of the owner turning up to the premises in the High Street, campaigner Rachel Lawrence said they saw a letting agency representative showing someone round.

There are letterboxes at the door and Ms Lawrence said she spoke to a tenant who had been asked to pay three months rent upfront.

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The Ship served customers for more than 160 years

When the Croydon Guardian spoke to the lettings agent, Moving Inn, they said all the homes in the building had been rented out.

This is despite Croydon Council turning down two planning applications to convert the building into seven flats and it being listed as an asset of community value.

Ms Lawrence said: “We spoke to the owner and he has admitted to having tenants in the building. “He says he’ll throw the tenants out if he gets an offer, but he won’t let us in the building to view it. “It is absolute madness.

“Croydon Council should stop the building work in there.

“They have done nothing and they have been negligent.

“I’m writing to the chief executive saying how unhappy we are and then we will go to the local government ombudsman.”

A Croydon Council spokeswoman said: “Both planning applications 15/00954/P and 14/04841/P were refused planning permission.

“We are aware of some unauthorised development having taken place alongside more recent allegations and the situation is currently being investigated by our planning enforcement team.”

Croydon Guardian has been unable to contact the owner for a comment.