A Wisbech pub owner has been given planning permission to turn his bar and restaurant into four flats.

The Chameleon, which is still open for business, has been given the go ahead to change the venue into accommodation after submitting accounts which show the pub has been failing since 2011.

It is the second pub restaurant in town to pull out of the entertainment trade and instead change to living space.

Earlier this year Wisbech Town Football Club chairman Barry Carter was given the go ahead to turn W4 restaurant in Exchange Square into flats.

Despite the Chameleon being raved about recently on the TripAdvisor website – one visitor being “astounded that there are not queues around the block for their Sunday lunch”- the owners have employed consultants to turn it into homes.

Their application has been successful and Fenland planners have now given the green light for the owners to turn the West Street venue into one single bed flat and three two-bedroom flats.

A report shows that permission has been given after owner Frank Kavanagh submitted three years of accounts which showed “a dramatic loss in profits since February 2011 and also evidence the business has been marketed and failed to sell.”

Mr Kavanagh and his wife Assumpta have continued to run the bar with lunchtime and evening meals while they waited for news on the planning application.

A report states: “The loss of the public house has been justified in this instance and although this will result in the loss of one community facility the area is well served by other facilities, for example Wetherspoons.”

The report concludes that the loss of the Chameleon would have: “No detrimental impact on the facilities enjoyed by the community in this location.”