A new £500,000 civic centre could soon be gracing the entrance to Bovey Tracey town centre after English Heritage appeared to drop its opposition to demolishing the remains of the Old Thatched Inn.

The burnt out shell in Station Road was bought by the town council for almost £100,000 last year with the aim of building an information centre, community space and council chamber on the site.

But the conservation body threw doubt on the plans by demanding that the Grade II listed building was reinstated despite only three walls remaining.