PEOPLE packed into a meeting held to save the Three Cups Hotel in Lyme Regis.

PEOPLE packed into a meeting held to save the Three Cups Hotel in Lyme Regis.

Around 150 people attended the event at Woodmeads Hall, pledging overwhelming support for the campaign to re-open the building.

Chairman John Dover said the reopening of the listed building as a hotel would bring a 'win, win' result for the town after 20 years of 'lose, lose.'

And West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin urged the action group to continue their campaign in a 'powerful, orderly and calm way.'

He said: "The great thing is to be persistent, keep at it, and eventually you will win."

Dr Sue Farrant, Liberal Democrat candidate for West Dorset, said: "We don't want any losers - we want something that will benefit the whole community, and I pledge my continued support."

Town councillor Sally Holman said it had been as a direct result of public pressure that Palmers were seriously investigating the hotel option.

The meeting heard that a petition organised by the action group had been signed by 2,700 people. About a quarter lived in Lyme Regis and 98 per cent were in favour of the Three Cups re-opening as a hotel.

Steering committee member Roger Crabb reported on a meeting that same day with West Dorset council leader Robert Gould and planning director Dr David Evans.

He said: "We came away from that meeting convinced that consultation rather than confrontation was the way forward."

He said the group heard the council had seven thousand listed buildings to monitor and the Three Cups was now high on the agenda.