A PETITION has been launched to save a derelict Dudley pub from demolition after Aldi resurrected plans to build a new store on the site.

West Midlands MEP and Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge is calling on residents to object to the plans to turn The King Arthur - which has been empty since 2012 - into a supermarket.

Cllr Etheridge will be collecting signatures to crank up efforts to save what he described as "an iconic landmark".

The Parliamentary candidate for Dudley North said he believes the Aldi store would generate traffic on the already congested Priory Road.

He also said plans to close the Birmingham Road entrance would cause issues for motorists coming from Dudley, as they would be unable to turn right into the store due to traffic approaching the town from the New Road.

The petition launch is part of UKIP’s Save Our Pubs campaign which is currently fighting controversial plans to bulldoze several borough pubs to make way for convenience stores and build on the car parks of others.

Cllr Etheridge said: “I strongly believe the Dudley borough cannot afford to lose such an iconic building.

“I also fear the creation of an Aldi on this site would severely impact on the trade of nearby small retailers in Priory Road."

He added: "The development would also see the loss of trees and would throw local roads into greater traffic-choked chaos.

“I urge people to sign my petition and save The King Arthur which could be a jewel in the crown for the local area.”