Rosemary Dunstan and Alison Murdoch, of Church Street, Kingsbridge, write:

On behalf of the newly formed Save the Kings Arms working group, we would like to thank the 130-plus people who attended the meeting at the Crabshell on Monday. Also the 500-plus people who have now signed the petition calling on the owners of the building to work with the local community in Kingsbridge to restore the Kings Arms to its historic role as a focal point in the town.

‘Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,’ said Margaret Mead.

Are we content to let the Kings Arms decay in front of our eyes, in the hands of an absentee landlord with no long-term interest in the town? Or are we willing to jointly create and drive forward a fresh vision for the Kings Arms that is both economically viable and meets the needs of residents and visitors?

In a town that funded its own leisure centre, recently regenerated its parks and that wins national awards for its horticulture, we are confident that the residents of Kingsbridge have sufficient ingenuity, skills and experience to save one of

its most iconic and historic buildings.

We invite anyone who supports this initiative to join us at www.savethekingsarms.org.uk.