THE Royal British Legion's offer to fund a new village hall in High Ongar could mean last orders for local pubs, which are already struggling to survive.

At the last High Ongar Parish Council meeting chairman Richard Berry announced that he and other local representatives met Royal British Legion officials regarding a new hall.

He said the legion was interested but wanted to install a manager and a members' bar as part of its proposal, a move that could mean cheaper drinks for legion members, but could cost the community its pubs.

Paul Monk and partner Rea Larman took over the Forresters Arms in April and have invested £40,000 in renovating the pub that had sat idle for more than two years.

Mr Monk said: "We have a 20-year lease and we're here for the long term, but if we lose business then we'll struggle.

"With being new and investing so much this wasn't the news we were expecting. There's barely enough custom for two venues, let alone three.

"If we had known this was going to happen it would have made us think twice about taking on the lease."

A parish council spokesman said no decision had been made and it was awaiting a proposal from the Royal British Legion before opening the debate to the public.

Royal British Legion Essex county field administrator David Kliber said: "It's an attractive proposition, we're putting together a speculative approach to the council and hope we can play our part in the community."

Keith Morgan, who took over the Red Lion pub in High Ongar last month, said: "If this went ahead it will mean one or two pubs will close for one village hall to open."

The proposal is expected to reach the new hall committee later this month, with recommendations put to the next parish council meeting, set for Tuesday, October 18.