Villagers are hoping to save a much-loved oak tree outside a Nottinghamshire pub that is facing the axe.
The tree, thought to be at least 100 years old, grows on the grounds of the Broad Oak in Main Street, Strelley.
While not the original oak that gave the pub its name, one villager described the tree as a “totem for the whole village” which keeps its namesake’s legacy alive.
Greene King currently owns the pub.
In October, a planning application was submitted to fell the oak tree.
It is understood Greene King is seeking to remove the tree due to safeguarding concerns, following an inspection that identified “significant structural and physiological concerns”.
Villagers are now calling for its protection.
A provisional Tree Preservation Order (TPO) was granted by Broxtowe Borough Council on November 10, preventing the felling of the tree without the authority’s consent.
The council says it will now consider whether the order should take effect formally, and this could result in the application appearing before a planning committee.
Before a decision is made, Greene King has a right to make objections or other representations.
Cllr Phillip Owen (Con), who represents Nuthall East and Strelley on the borough council, said: “It is the Broad Oak pub, and what would you call it if the Broad Oak was cut down?
“It would be an absolute travesty if it had to be cut down. Greene King have been told to reassess their proposals.
“It is certainly a mature tree, but in terms of oak trees is not particularly old when you think about the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest. It would be unusual for a tree of that age to have so much damage that it would have to be cut down completely.
“So there will have to be more assessments to it. The villagers of Strelley are not going to give up the Broad Oak lightly, let’s put it like that.”
According to council documents, Greene King employed the services of tree maintenance firm, Sky High, to conduct a ground inspection on the oak.
In his report, inspector Darran Burke said: “A ground-level Visual Tree Assessment identified a number of significant physiological and structural defects.
“These include the presence of Pseudoinonotus dryadeus, pockets of brown cubical decay within the basal area, apparent decline in crown vitality and a suspected secondary fungal involvement by potentially Armillaria mellea.
“Of particular concern is the occurrence of a recent significant branch failure from the canopy. Given the tree’s position within a busy public house beer garden and the associated high level of customer occupancy, the consequences of a similar failure impacting an occupied area could be severe.”
“The report by their guy reminds me very much of when two parties are arguing over the value of a property,” he said.
A spokesperson for The Broad Oak said: “We fully appreciate the significance of this tree to both the pub and the local community. We remain committed to following the appropriate process whilst balancing conservation considerations with our responsibility to safeguard the public.”
It is understood Greene King is awaiting the results of a Sonic Tomography survey report, which maps the internal health and structure of a tree, after which the findings will be review and discussed with the local authority.
Martin Milmoe, chairman of the Strelley Village Group, said the original oak tree that the pub was named after grew in parkland north of Strelley Hall, in what was called Oak Close.
He says a sapling was taken from this tree on the orders of Squire Edge, who served as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, before being planted outside the Broad Oak pub about 100 years ago.
“The original tree remained, albeit not in a great condition, until 1982 when it was set on fire by persons unknown and then felled for safety reasons,” Mr Milmoe said.