AN online petition to preserve a popular community pub and live music venue in Harpenden has gathered nearly 500 signatures since its conception yesterday.

Inn on the Green, a favourite for the town's young people, is apparently set to be transformed into a gastropub, ending a ten-year reign for landlords Mick and Jacqui Hill.

The pub in leyton Road, is owned by pub group, Greene King.

Although unconfirmed by the brewery, it is claimed the pub, in Leyton Road, will undergo a refurbishment before it is turned into an upmarket pub serving food.

The news has devastated many of its regular punters, who say it is the social hub of the town.

A Facebook group, Save the Inn on the Green, has attracted more than 1,200 members while an online petition has attracted support from some 472 people.

David Holt, who is leading the campaign to save the pub, told the Review: "Our town is full of restaurants - the Inn on the Green is sandwiched between two restaurants. It's a community pub, even though it's a chain pub it never felt like one. It's outrageous and a real shame. They haven't thought about any of the clientele before they decided to turn it into a restaurant."

David, formerly of Lemsford Road, Harpenden, who now lives and works in Leeds, added: "Whenever I come home that's the place I catch up with people. It's the place you bump into people that you have known for years. It's a central point for a lot of Harpenden's youth."

The closure of the pub, its punters say, will also spell the death of its six sports teams, including football, rugby and a darts squad.

Ben Gaines, who worked behind the bar for three years and runs the football team, said: "It's a local community pub for so many people. Most of the other pubs in Harpenden appear to be turning into bars. Harpenden is not short of restaurants and it doesn't need another one."

Daryl Binelli added: "The last thing we need is another restaurant. There's a lot of sports clubs run out of the Inn on the Green. It would be a shame to see them go to waste."

The venue is also popular with live music fans, who flock to the open mic night every Tuesday evening. Punter Adam Binnie, of Station Road, who is a regular at the pub's open mic night, told the Review: "Inn on the Green has long been a place where people enjoy their first pint and meet up with friends on holiday from university.

"For many people it's the centre of their social life - none of the pubs in Harpenden have the same atmosphere. It will be a great shame to see it go."

Campaigning punters will meet tonight at the venue to discuss a plan of action in a bid to save the Inn on the Green.

The Review is awaiting comment from Greene King.