MANY Brightonians abandon the seafront in summer as the tourists take over.

But a cavernous new seafront pub is aiming to change all that – adding to a new vibe being created along King’s Road Arches away from the nightclub quarter.

The brick arches of former nightclub Life have been transformed over the last 12 months to create The Tempest – a pub which is aimed at locals throughout the year.

But it doesn’t take long to realise that The Tempest is a whole new imaginative creation for Brighton.

The club’s warren of brick arches on the ground floor has been transformed into a maze of caves housing atmospherically lit salmon pink-plastered intimate booths suitable for small groups.

Meanwhile upstairs the sun’s light filters into more open spaces, including a small dancefloor with its own bar available to hire for weddings and parties.

The pub will be augmented by a large outside patio, home to between 30 to 40 tables hosting up to 200 people who can bathe in the unfiltered sunlight coming across the Channel.

For siblings Becky and Matt Andrews The Tempest is the chance to provide a few firsts along Brighton seafront – from a range of craft beers to the first Sunday roast available on the beach.

“We’ve already taken a few bookings,” laughs Matt as the pub prepares to open on Thursday. “We want people to find their own favourite alcove.”

The look of the venue’s interior has been inspired by cave bars and restaurants cut into the rock around Porto in Portugal.

Meanwhile the outside patio is being decorated with mini rock gabions filled with hardy plants transported from the Outer Hebrides.

Despite the nearby road collapse during work at Fortune Of War work on the new venue by shopfitters Barracuda wasn’t badly affected.

“The council came and checked all the venues were safe,” says Becky who spent five years working further along the seafront at The Coalition before it was sold to the Eclectic Bars group.

Interest in the new venue had increased massively ever since the hoardings were taken away from the front earlier this year.

“We want it to be somewhere open to people in Brighton even when the sun is shining,” says Becky.

The kitchen will be open daily from noon to 9pm, offering a range of pub classics, with a heavy seafood element, plus an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu.

“We’re not trying to get any Michelin stars,” says Matt. “It’s going to be good local food – we’ve got connections with the Shoreham fishery who will be supplying a catch of the day.”

“When I was at Coalition there was nowhere to eat along the seafront for vegetarians,” adds Becky.

“We want to provide great food for everyone – with sharing boards too.”

The bar will also host two Laines beers every day as well as two Heineken beers, on top of a range of Brighton-made and international craft beers.

The pair are also in talks with Michelin-starred chefs to see if they can offer pop-up dining and supper clubs during the winter.

“The seafront is changing,” says Becky.

“Now The Tube has turned into the Riki Tik Beach Bar, and we’ve got the Fortune Of War on the other side this part of the seafront is aimed at adults who want to come and have a drink, rather than just tourists and clubbers.”