A PUBLICAN who has been baking speciality loaves of bread in a brick oven in Addingham's Main Street has had his fingers burned.

Planning officers from Bradford Council have ruled that the large brick-built oven - which is outside The Fleece - must be demolished by the end of this month.

The large brick oven constructed outside the public house will have to be demolished by the end of this month on the orders of Bradford Council planning officers.

Chris Monkman, the owner of The Fleece said that the oven had proved popular with locals who bought between 30 and 50 freshly baked speciality loaves on Saturdays and Sundays.

The oven, which has been used since the end of June, has also been used to cook dishes like suckling pig. Mr Monkman, the owner of Monkfish Restaurant in Cunliffe Road, Ilkley, said: "It has been fantastic - it is a really old fashioned way of cooking, since medieval times."

Unfortunately for Mr Monkman, the planning authority does not share his enthusiasm for the oven. Complaints were passed on from Addingham Parish Council about the unauthorised brick structure appearing outside the Grade II listed building.

Parish Council chairman Gordon Campbell admitted that the body was caught in a bit of a dilemma about the complaints. "It was difficult because the parish council attempts to support local businesses," said Coun Campbell.

Bradford Council planning enforcement officers visited the premises and gave their orders to Mr Monkman.

He told the Gazette: "It has got to come down. I have been told in fairly strong terms that it won't work."

He said that he would comply with the instruction to take down the oven which cost £2,300 to have built, but fortunately the same builder had promised to remove it free of charge.

Mr Monkman said that he overlooked the fact that the public house was a Listed building in a Conservation Area when he had it built.

And he said it would be difficult to find any other nearby location for the oven. "You need planning permission for anything on a listed building."