Plans have been submitted for a Grade II listed pub to create five new bed and breakfast (B&B) rooms with en-suite facilities.

Originally, the Red Lion at East Bergholt had applied to convert the premises into 28-day holiday lets with self-catering kitchens, but the latest plans are to create the B&B accommodation.

The alterations have arisen following research into the holiday market.

The ground floor of the pub has been used as a restaurant, set up for table service, with 65% of the business revenue coming from food, which the plans say means the building can't be considered solely a public house.

The new B&B rooms would be provided on the first and second floors with the aim to encourage guests to use the ground floor restaurant facilities rather than self-cater.

As part of the plans, a small two-storey building at the rear of the pub, which has permission for retail use, will also be converted to provide a B&B room on the ground floor and an office for the pub on the first floor.

In a planning and access statement submitted to Babergh District Council, Quinlan Terry Architects, on behalf of the applicants, said: "There is currently permission for two 28-day holiday lets at first and second floor, which include self-catering kitchens.

"Having researched the holiday market, the owners would like to change the use of the rooms to bed and breakfast accommodation and encourage the guests to use the ground floor restaurant facilities rather than self-cater. This will mean that further staff will be required to allow the building to open the full seven days a week."

The pub, which dates back to the 1770s, wants to exploit its location close to the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty tourist attraction, as well as its connections to the famous painter John Constable, who would have known of the pub when he lived and painted in the village.