The Wheatley Hotel in Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, has been put up for sale despite a campaign by hundreds of residents calling for the pub to be re-opened.

Leading UK pub chain Punch Taverns has confirmed that it has put the Wheatley Lane pub on the open market, after hopes the firm would refurbish and open the village's last local.

The Wheatley, as it is affectionately known to many Ben Rhydding residents, closed in 2002 following the economic fallout of 2001's foot and mouth disease outbreak. Punch, which has maintained that the pub had been running at a loss, bought the Wheatley Hotel.

During the company's ownership, the pub has been the subject of two planning applications which would have seen the site or the pub itself turned into houses. Residents fiercely opposed the plans through two planning appeal hearings, winning both times.

After the last planning appeal failed, Punch was said to be in talks with campaign group Save Us Pub (SUP) about re-opening the Wheatley.

In a bid to put the issue back in the spotlight, SUP recently urged residents to write to the company's chief executive, Giles Thornley, asking him to re-open the pub. SUP said around 400 people had responded to its appeal and written to Punch.

A spokesman for Punch confirmed this week that it had put the Wheatley Hotel up for sale, but said the pub had not yet been sold.

Save Us Pub could not be contacted.