CHESTER City Council's deputy leader has raised concerns one of his favourite pubs could be turned into a trendy wine bar.

Cllr John Price (Lab, Blacon Hall) has popped into the Commercial Hotel for the occasional lunchtime pint over many years.

So it was with a little sadness that he learned the old fashioned boozer in St Peter's Square off Northgate Street was undergoing a £500,000 refurbishment - even though the pub company insists it will maintain the 'traditional feel'.

A planning application has been submitted by Punch Taverns to expand the size of the pub, a listed Georgian building, by erecting a single-storey rear extension and taking over the former Forrest staff recruitment office next door.

Cllr Price said: 'If they retain its character, great, but if they are investing all that money, they will want a return. A lot of people are very fearful for the future.

'You won't find many pubs like it in the centre of a town. It had a loyal clientele who would really like it to stay as it is,' continued Cllr Price who admitted the unpretentious venue probably did need 'some investment'.

'I think there is a place for yesterday. It's nice to have a place where people can go and have a meal if they want or a quiet pint,' he added.

He said women and pensioners could drink in the pub and feel at ease, and people from over the border

often used to head for the Commercial. Run by Peter Tomkinson, some of the staff had worked there for more than 20 years, creating a 'family atmosphere'.

A Punch Taverns spokesman said: 'The Commercial will undergo a half-million-pound investment to modernise the facilities whilst retaining a traditional feel. With an emphasis on fine food, the newly refurbished Commercial will also boast a small number of high quality letting accommodation.'

The Chester@Large web-site describes the old Commercial as a 'quirky inn' popular among those in the know because of its dead-centre location, quiet courtyard and relaxed ambience.

It says: 'There are no frills here but there is a feeling of sanctuary, a little haven amidst the bustle of the town centre.'