QUESTIONS remain over what will happen at the site of a former pub after the building was demolished.
Clifton Bridge Inn, on Brookethorpe Way in Silverdale, had been derelict since closing in 2010, but residents were surprised to see it reduced to rubble last month.
Nottingham City Council had granted planning permission to convert the pub into an Italian restaurant in April.
But now the building has been completely demolished, the council has confirmed the owners will need to re-apply for planning permission if they still want to go ahead with their restaurant plans.
Clifton North councillor Roger Steel said he hoped the site would be developed sooner rather than later.
"This is a prominent site that is at the entrance to Silverdale," he said.
"We want to see the site cleared up and turned into something that will really benefit the community – at the moment it's an eye-sore.
"We seem to be in limbo over the eventual use and development of the site. The community was looking forward to a restaurant facility, but now it remains to be seen whether that will still go ahead."
Kerry Watson, 52, of Ellerby Avenue in Clifton, worked at Clifton Bridge Inn for seven years. She said: "It was really sad when the pub closed because it was a really friendly place and always had a nice atmosphere. It was a big loss to the estate.
"I was surprised to see it had been demolished. It's a shame because we thought it was going to be converted rather than knocked down. I can't see a restaurant doing anything for the estate to be honest – I think it should be developed into something that will benefit the community more."
But Angela Wilson, of Sunninghill Drive in Clifton, said she hoped the restaurant would still go ahead.
The 54-year-old said: "We have plenty of pubs around the Clifton area where you can get cheap food, so to have a proper restaurant would be a nice alternative."
The owners of the site, who also own Bella Mia Italian restaurant in Hucknall, were unavailable for comment yesterday.
