Skipton'S historic Devonshire pub will close its doors at the end of the month with its future uncertain.

Pub company giants JD Wetherspoon plans to buy the building but is still unable to secure planning permission for changes to the interior and exterior.

During the last 18 months Wetherspoon's has opened 175 venues around the country - but it still can not get plans passed for the Devonshire.

In April 2000 the Herald revealed that Wetherspoon's had applied to transform the grade two listed building on Newmarket Street.

Planning applications have been back and forth between the pub chain and Craven District Council but still nothing has been agreed upon.

Now pub owner and manager Hugh Deery has said he will definitely cease trading on October 28 and the pub would have to be closed until someone else took it over.

A spokesman for Wetherspoon's said the company was set on buying the Devonshire and hoped the deal would be finalised by mid-November.

He added that theoretically Wetherspoon's could own the building without having gained planning permission to alter it.

"We are as keen as ever to purchase the pub but we have been held up because of listed building consent," he said.

The Devonshire is one of Skipton's oldest landmarks built between 1790 and 1813.

The latest plans, which were recently discussed at Skipton Town Council's planning committee, include frameless glass extensions.

One is proposed at the rear of the building, and a similar smaller extension could be attached to the front to form part of the disabled access.

But members concluded: "The rear extension is over large and the glass materials are entirely out of keeping for a listed building and a conservation area."

Renovation plans also include decking at the back of the building with an acoustic and visual screen to prevent neighbouring houses being bothered by the noise.

Councillors were not happy that the screen was only two metres away from the neighbours' properties.

The application also sought permission to remove the bedrooms and function room and put the toilets on the first floor, and to demolish the men's toilet on the pub's eastern elevation.

The rooms on the ground floor are expected to stay as they are but the bar will be moved.

Councillors objected to the toilets being on the first floor and on the Newmarket Street elevation, and were unhappy with the loss of the bedrooms and function rooms of which they thought there was a shortage in Skipton.

They supported Wetherspoon's intention to retain the layout of the ground floor, the staircase and internal fittings like the fireplaces, cornices and doors.

They also liked the fact that the company planned to remove all cars from the forecourt to give everyone a clear view of the building.

Wetherspoon's had hoped to take over the pub in September 2000 and renovate it to fit in with its unique style.

They are completely music free so an emphasis can be placed on conservation. Each has a designated non-smoking area, and even in the smoking areas there are state-of-the-art ventilation systems.

All its pubs have toilets on the first floor for security reasons. There are facilities for those with disabilities including specially adapted toilets, wheelchair ramps and lifts.

Perhaps most importantly to those who drink there, the bar prices are relatively cheap.

The contents of the pub will be auctioned off on November 12. Mr Deery's last night as landlord will be on October 28 and everyone is invited to his farewell do.