THEIR efforts have ensured a popular pub has become an asset of the community.

But a question mark hangs over whether campaigners can stop The Bittern pub being sold to a fast-food giant.

The watering hole has been a focal point in the Thornhill area of Southampton since the 1930s.

Earlier this year it was revealed its long history was threatened when owner Punch Taverns opened talks to sell the pub to McDonald’s, which wanted to build a restaurant on the site.

Campaigners from the Save the Bittern group thought they notched a major victory in the battle to take their pub back after the building was granted “asset of community value” status by Southampton City Council last week.

Now fears have been raised for its future once more as the Daily Echo can reveal contracts were exchanged between Punch Taverns and an unnamed buyer in June.

Under normal terms of the status, campaigners would have six months to raise the cash to buy the property should its owners decide to sell it.

It would also mean the building could be sold as anything but a pub for five years.

However, now it has emerged that contracts have already been exchanged, campaigners are frantically trying to find out what this means for their bid.

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham backed the move for a community takeover and was at the forefront of the bid.

He said he would now look into how this latest development affects the pub’s asset status.

He said: “There was always a danger that an organisation would try to evade the spirit of the law.

“We will need to get clarity about the legal terms. Punch Taverns objected to the listing because it submitted evidence to the council why it shouldn’t.

“If it has been sold, it is still a listed asset of the new owner but what’s not clear is whether the asset stops someone changing the use of it. That’s the fear.

“It would be devastating for the community if they have blocked us, but let’s not count our chickens.”

Punch Taverns would not reveal which company it had exchanged contracts with.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm that contracts have been exchanged on The Bittern prior to the pub being listed as an asset of community value.”