Time has been called on yet another Norwich pub.

The Bread and Cheese, in Adelaide Street, is to be turned into homes.

The pub shut its doors on New Year's Day, when a sign simply stating 'pub closed' appeared in the window.

The pub, which was known as the Queen Victoria until 1978, was listed with agents Humberstones, with a freehold price at £249,500 and was advertised as 'Ideal first pub or semi-retirement opportunity. Currently closed for personal reasons'.

However, in April it became clear that the writing was on the wall, when an application was lodged with Norwich City Council to extend and convert it into apartments.

Applicant Richard Keach asked for permission to create four one-bedroom apartments at the pub.

And the city council's planning committee today unanimously agreed that could happen.

City Hall officers said there was no compelling planning reason to prevent the loss of the pub.

The building is locally listed, but the proposals retain a number of its features.

Officers said: 'The pub has not been designated as an asset of community value and there is no planning reason to resist its loss.

'While the loss of its pub use is unfortunate and does affect the non-designated heritage asset's significance, this is in itself fairly hard to resist in planning terms and is acceptable.'

Some neighbours had lodged objections. They feared the development will lead to overlooking and a loss of their privacy.

However, council officers said revisions to the original proposals had got round some of the issues and the work to extend the building was being 'sensitively done'.

Councillors expressed sadness at the loss of a pub, but Mike Sands, committee chairman, said: 'If a pub is very well patronised by customers it is unlikely to close. That's sad, but true in this day and age.'

There were calls for the pub's sign to be retained, possibly by making that a condition of granting planning permission.

But Judith Lubbock, Liberal Democrat for Eaton questioned whether that would 'give somebody a headache' in the future in terms of its maintenance. Councillors decided not to attach a condition that the sign should be retained.

The Norwich Evening News has, through our Love Your Local campaign, been urging people to make use of their local pubs, or risk losing them forever.

•Are you fighting for the future of your local pub? Email dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk