The Open All Hours shop in Doncaster is now a hairdressers

Council chiefs in Doncaster have warned that some of the town's pre-1919 housing may have to be demolished to make way for new developments.

A campaign group says that puts Lister Avenue, Balby, the site of Albert Arkwright's corner shop in the series, "right in the firing line".

The council said residents would be consulted over any demolition plans.

The plans are revealed in the council's local development framework document, on which the authority is inviting the public to comment.

Star remembered

Doncaster's mayor Martin Winter said: "The Local Development Framework includes documents on how we propose to develop local areas to improve Doncaster for the future for the benefit of residents and future generations.

"It is recognised that major refurbishment and/or demolition and replacement will be necessary."

Lawrence Paramore, from the campaign group Doncaster Against Demolition, said: "What they are proposing is knocking down more than 3,000 houses in the urban centre of Doncaster.

"Obviously the properties in Lister Avenue are well within the catchment area for demolition.

"These are also pre-1919 properties so they are really right in the firing line."

News of the demolition proposals came as friends of Open All Hours star Ronnie Barker, who played Albert Arkwright, were gathering at Westminster Abbey on Friday for a memorial service to the actor who died in October.

He is only the third comic to be honoured with a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey, after Joyce Grenfell in 1980 and Les Dawson in 1994.

Fans of Barker will be among the 2,000-strong congregation after the star's family invited them to apply for tickets.