A CRAFT beer company’s plans to open a pub after a crowdfunding campaign have been withdrawn.

The decision comes after a “nonsensical negotiation merry-go-round” with the landlord.

In February last year The Bison Arms closed its crowdfunding campaign for the pub to be opened in East Street, Brighton, with £150,000 of investment secured.

The Bison Arms team joined forces with local restaurant 64 Degrees to set about providing a real alternative to a Burger King that was planned to open in the building instead.

They gained widespread support from residents and those living above the premises, who along with MP Caroline Lucas, wrote letters backing the campaign.

In an open letter from The Bison Arms team, Simon Duddington, Nick Vardy and Jack Cregan, said: “When the petition to stop Burger King opening launched on October 21, 2015, which received 12,000 signatures in 24 hours, we set about to provide a genuine alternative, launching our crowdfunding campaign with Seedrs.

“Through the exceptional will of 401 people we had the means to do so by February 2, 2016 with £150,000 raised.

“What followed was several months of solicitor action that we still struggle to understand fully.

“We have a significant legal bill to show for the work that has been done for the pub but cannot explain why the landlord hasn’t allowed the deal to be completed.

“With a refusal to communicate directly with us from the start, we may never truly understand their objectives.”

On May 26 this year the trio claim documents were agreed upon by all parties with the landlord’s solicitor who was expected to issue the lease and other relevant documents.

Once the solicitor returned from a two -week leave, The Bison Arms team were not sent any of these documents.

The open letter also states: “It is our belief the landlord, despite agreeing to terms on several occasions, never actually wanted to see this deal through.”

Seedrs will soon return all investor funds back to those who contributed.

Stuart Lauchlan, head of the Clarendon Mansions Residents Association, said: “We are shocked but sadly not surprised by this turn of events. Our own experience of dealing with the landlord for the building has not been constructive.

“For this to be scuppered by an inability to reach an agreement after 18 months with an absentee landlord is heartbreaking for all concerned.”

The managing agent for the commercial premises is TCI Group and the overall landlord for the building is Javsford Investments Ltd.

When contacted by The Argus neither company was available to comment.