The two pubs served two very different communities, but both thrived.

And then the Market Tavern was demolished to add a few more spaces to a car park near Leeds Kirkgate market while the New Inn overlooking Otley's market square was converted into a shop selling pharmaceuticals and the like.

The closures were part of a trend which is steadily reducing consumer choice in Leeds, in Yorkshire, and across Britain. We are losing our local pubs, and, as with Post Office closures, the loss of a local pub means the loss of a community facility. In the case of pubs, many date back centuries.

The latest victim in the Leeds district is the Summercross in Otley.

The pub was a focal point for the community, with live music, Morris dancing, quiz nights, annual Otley Folk Festival events and meetings of local groups. It won awards for its real ales.

With a 200-year history, it was the only pub serving the outlying eastern part of the town. Two months ago its owners, London-based Phase 7 Properties, gave the licensee one month's notice, boarded up the pub and sold it to Horsforth residential property developer Chartford Homes.

But the closure is being resisted. Local residents have launched SOS – Save Our Summercross –with the backing of Leeds North West Lib Dem MP Greg Mulholland.

Shirley Lewis, one of the campaign organisers, said: "Why close a business that for the first time in years is growing successfully? The Summercross has become a popular meeting place, a source of entertainment and supportive of local events."

The answer is: money. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pubs have been converted for residential use, bringing immediate profits. Pubs with land and outbuildings are especially vulnerable.

Britain's largest consumer group is the Campaign for Real Ale, CAMRA, with 80,000 members and it says that 56 pubs are closing for good every month.

"This is due in part to the high demand for housing that often means city and town residents have to watch their community pub ripped from them to make space for another soulless development," said CAMRA's Owen Morris.

Christine Joplin, of CAMRA's Leeds branch, said: "We accept that pubs are always going to close and for various reasons, drinking habits change, pub styles fall out of fashion or areas become less densely populated with either business or houses. But what we don't accept is the closure of pubs for short term monetary gain as with the Summercross.

"The Summercross was a vibrant community pub. Its closure is of particular concern as it shows that any pub in a nice location and particularly with a bit of land is not safe from the developers' bulldozers."

Campaigns like Save Our Summercross can succeed. People power can make a difference. But too often closed pubs are lost for ever.

People wishing to support the Summercross campaign are being asked to e-mail sosotley@f2s.com.