Corinne Connolly, of Start, hands over a petition to Environment minister Peter Sirett at Sir Charles Frossard House yesterday as part of the group’s campaign to have a bar installed in the redevelopment of St Saviour’s Tavern. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0771707)

MORE than 400 people have signed the petition to save the Ritz.

Corinne Connolly from the group Start, which is hoping to bring a pub back to St Saviour’s, handed a 422-strong petition to Environment minister Peter Sirett yesterday afternoon.

Plans for the former St Saviour’s Tavern, which was sold in 2007, originally included a bar, but latest proposals put forward to Environment do not include this.

Mrs Connolly has spearheaded a campaign along with many former regulars from the pub to convince owner Tom Scott as well as the department to keep to the original plans.

‘We’ve got 422 names,’ said Mrs Connolly, after she handed the bound document to Deputy Sirett.

‘We’ve had them from people in the area and those who visited the island. The youngest was aged 12. They are the future of the parish.

‘We are hoping the next step is that the plans will revert back to the two dwellings and restaurant bar, which was in the original proposals. If the owners do not want a restaurant bar, then [we hope] it may be put up for sale for somebody who would be willing to make a bar within it.’