Aberaeron will lose a large part of its history, if plans to turn the function room of the Feathers Royal Hotel into a convenience store get the green light from Ceredigion County Council.

That is the fear of locals who have set up an online petition objecting to the change of use application by Cardiff-based property developer Lawrence Dovey, of Doublet Holdings.

County planners are considering his plan to convert the banqueting suite of the old coaching inn – which dates back to 1815 - into a retail area.

The petition had been signed by more than 900 people at the last count on Monday.

Mr Dovey, 45, has pledged to try to operate the Alban Square site as a commercially viable business which will create local jobs. But objectors maintain his plans will end "decades of tradition" as the function room has held many wedding receptions, official dinners and even boxing shows over the years.

“It will cause havoc with parking and, with the nearby school, take trade away from established businesses,” states the petition.

“It needs to remain as a hotel and continue to serve the community as it has done since it was opened. Please sign to keep the Feathers Royal Hotel intact as a hotel. If it changes Aberaeron will lose a large part of its history.”

Agent Andrew Bates, of Cardiff planning consultants Geraint John Planning Ltd, told the Cambrian News that the application under consideration related solely to the former function room.

“The proposal would result in the provision of a gross retail floorspace of 463 sqm and an assumed net sales area of 325 sqm,” he said.

“The development would result in a modest increase in retail floorspace within Aberaeron, which is an appropriate scale of development for an Urban Service Centre such as this.

“It would not result in an oversupply of floorspace or retail goods within the centre and would accordingly be policy-compliant in this regard.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now