PUB giants Wetherspoons are still at loggerheads with Craven planners over the future of Skipton's grade two star listed Devonshire pub.

The three-storey 18th century pub has stood empty for almost a year but councillors have said they will not be pushed into agreeing plans they do not feel protect the historical significance of the Skipton building.

Now Wetherspoons have hinted that they may abandon their plans to reopen the pub.

On Monday the planning committee said it was disappointed with Wetherspoons' latest application and felt they had not taken on board guidance from English Heritage about restoring listed buildings.

Members agreed that a way forward to secure the future of building needed to be found and they looked forward to receiving a design which preserved its character.

Since September 2000 Wetherspoons has been trying to get permission to refurbish the pub. It has once had plans refused and twice withdrawn applications before they got to committee.

The most recent plans included demolishing a single storey rear extension and building a new glass one. Skipton Town Council felt it would be too large, unneighbourly and the materials out of keeping in a conservation area.

Wetherspoons also hoped to refurbish the ground floor of the main building as a public bar, create new toilets on the first floor, form a manager's flat on the second floor and construct a new entrance way through the front Assembly Room.

District councillors agreed that there was not enough information in the plans to allow proper consideration of the work and gauge what effect it would have on the building. The plans were unanimously refused.

A spokesman for Wetherspoons said that over the next couple of weeks the management board would discuss whether to continue to press for a pub in Skipton.

"We are keen to open a pub on the site there but this has been really ongoing in terms of planning," he said. "We are obviously disappointed that consent has been turned down but we have to respect their views."

The popular Wetherspoons chain already has more than 500 pubs across the country and plans to open 100 more this year. The pubs are famous for their unique style - they are music free with the emphasis on conservation, drinks are cheap, and each has a designated non-smoking area.

There are facilities for those with disabilities including specially adapted toilets, wheelchair ramps and lifts.

Planning officer Roger France said negotiations about the alterations had been dragging on for almost two years, and that it would need "flexibility and imagination" from both parties to come up with ideas that would protect the historical interest of the building as well as make it a viable pub.

Coun Mike Doyle said: "It is important that where we have a building of this notability, that any development is well done, and we don't appear to be in a position to decide whether this will be well done."

Coun David Ireton said that development of the building was accepted in principle but the proposal in front of the committee fell "substantially short" of detail.

The building on Newmarket Street dates from the first half of the 18th century and was built as a mansion house for Lord Burlington.

In 1753 it became part of the Duke of Devonshire's property and at the end of that century became the New Inn. At the beginning of the 19th century it became known as the Devonshire and the Assembly Room was added to the west side of the original house.

Coun Paul English said it was heart breaking to see a building so full of history in the state it was in now. He said it had so much potential but finding a solution upon which everyone agreed was not going to be easy.

Members asked why a representative from Wetherspoons had not attended. They also asked for a copy of the decision to be sent expressing their feelings.

"I hope they get the message that it needs a total rethink," said Coun Ken Hart.