An historic pub which was once the centre of a murder probe has now been transformed into a grocery store.

The Diamond, in Dover, closed last year after struggling financially following a trend of rising costs.

It was put on the market and later purchased by Thirukulatharasan Pratheepan, who has turned the space into a convenience store.

Mr Pratheepan says he wants to honour the history of the former pub, which was once at the centre of a murder investigation after its landlord was killed.

He told KentOnline: “This is such a historic place and I hadn’t known until I looked it all up on the Internet.

“The pub had been part of the community for so long I decided not to change its frontage because the locals would feel they have lost something.

“But now they have a new store when the nearest had been down a steep hill.”

Mr Pratheepan has even kept the core name, with the new business being called The Diamond Stores.

The pub had originally opened with rooms as The Diamond Hotel in 1901.

In 1979 the then landlord was killed there and his wife was later acquitted of his murder.

The police officer prominent in the investigation was Supt John Wallace, who in 1980 became its landlord, until 1991.

The late Mr Wallace had been well-known locally for investigating one of Dover’s most notorious unsolved murders.

That was of Valerie Osmond, 33, who disappeared in Temple Ewell in 1968 and her stabbed body was found in an underground reservoir in Guston two years later. The killer has never been brought to justice.

The Diamond was also famous for decades for holding annual onion club competitions with top prizes going for the biggest specimens. Some were the size of bowling balls.

The pub closed on August 26 last year and was put on the market the following month for £250,000.

Mr Pratheepan bought the premises in January. He applied to convert it in February for a business selling groceries, alcohol and cigarettes.

His application agent, MKM Design & Construction of Uxbridge, London, explained to Dover District Council (DDC) that the pub was no longer viable, ending up in continual financial decline.

It explained this was due to a loss of sports teams using it, such as for darts, skittles, and pool, plus continual rise in gas and electricity bills and barrels of beer.

MKM concluded: “In our opinion, it is not recommended to run the business as a pub, based on the past financial records.”

Some neighbours commenting on the council's planning portal were glad the property would not become homes but others feared parking problems in the area.

Kim Holland said: “I'm pleased it has not been turned into bedsits or flats.

“However, I am concerned about how a shop will increase congestion of local traffic on Heathfield Avenue, a road that is usually down to a single lane due to cars parked on both sides.

“Customers or delivery drivers not finding anywhere to park may block the road, further increasing the problem.”

Three of the five comments from the public were outright objections.

Francesca Packer said: “Parking here is already really bad, we struggle every day parking. I'm especially worried about the vans/lorries coming up the road for food/item deliveries, especially at 6am.

“This road was never built for a thoroughfare. I'm worried for when people double park to pop in and no one will be able to pass. The noise pollution this causes first thing in the morning, at 6am, will be awful.”

MKM argued that most of the customers would be local residents.

Also the pub customers would park on-street for hours and drivers now using the shop would only be there for five to 10 minutes.

Its report summed up: “The number of vehicles coming to the pub is more than the number of vehicles coming to the shop. Therefore, the change of use from pub to retail shop will reduce the impact of on-street parking.”

DDC gave the shop, for the ground floor, planning permission in July and the other floors are to continue as private accommodation.

Dover Town Council supported the application.