Starbucks drive-thru plan for Carbrook Hall sparks debateÂ

West Street Leisure has received planning permission from Sheffield City Council to turn the landmark 12th century building into a 60-seat coffee house. 

Punch Taverns had sold the site to WSL earlier this year, after the former pub fell into disrepair and was gutted in an arson attack in April. 

The move has already sparked controversy with historian Ron Clayton claiming the city had '˜lost an opportunity' to preserve a '˜remarkable' piece of history.

Star readers have now had their say on the matter with many taking to Facebook to make their feelings known.

Some were in favour of the move. 

Duncan Strafford said: 'You can't moan about it becoming a Starbucks if you didn't go there to keep the place open as a pub. If you want local amenities, shop local.'

Paul Staniforth added that he was 'glad to see it is getting put to use rather than stood decaying.'

Clive Turner posted: 'It is not ideal but it's much better than being empty and a target for vandalism.'

But Anastasia-Camille Glover wants to see the building used for something else.

She said: 'It could be turned into a theatre, a community centre, an artist hub, an art gallery, a writer's retreat, a nice independent restaurant '“ so many things other than a Starbucks.'

WSL owner Sean Hogg said heritage campaigners should be '˜realistic' about the situation and explained how £400,000 has already gone into repairing the site.

He added: 'The brunt, stark reality of it is that everything in the country is run as a business, whether it be a hospital, or a doctors, or even the binmen. We've got a company which is willing to invest substantial amounts of money to ensure that the final product is for all of Sheffield to enjoy.'