Fight to save Brighton pub from flats development bid

3:10pm Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News By Ben Leo, reporter

The London Unity in Islingword Road, Brighton The London Unity in Islingword Road, Brighton

A campaign is under way to save a popular pub from being turned into flats.

The London Unity pub in Islingword Road, Brighton, could soon be shutting its doors for good after being put up for sale by owner Enterprise Inns.

Landlord Alan Leach, 37, claims the brewers want to sell the pub building, which is nearly 150 years old, to property developers.

He said: “They’ve not said it in so many words but they are intending to sell it to developers so they can turn it into flats.

“They won’t sell to another publican. It’s gutting to think we’re going to be closed in a matter of months.”

Mr Leach said he had also raised concerns with Enterprise Inns about the condition of his flat above the pub.

He added: “It’s had damp since I moved in two years ago and they are refusing to take responsibility for it or sort it out. I have a three-year-old daughter and it’s not suitable living conditions for her.

“My notice period is until mid-March but I’ve told them I’m willing to stay on until about May or April, but it’s up to them.”

Twitter campaign

A Twitter account called Save London Unity has been launched and already has more than 200 followers, including MP Caroline Lucas and Brighton and Hove mayor Bill Randall.

A spokeswoman for Enterprise Inns confirmed the freehold was up for sale but added there were no restrictions on future use.

She said: “As part of our ongoing business, we do from time to time identify a pub which is unable to deliver an appropriate level of sustainable income.

"After careful consideration and a review of all options, the decision has been made to offer the freehold for sale on the open market with no restrictions on future use.

“We do not discuss the private and confidential matters between the company and our publicans.”

The news comes after another Hanover pub, The Greys, nearly closed for good after the previous landlord struggled with Enterprise Inn’s rent demands.

A new owner has since taken over and announced yesterday (January 29) the return of live music on February 4.

Talking point: How concerned are you about pub closures in Brighton and Hove and across Sussex in general? Share your views by commenting below or email The Argus letters editor letters@theargus.co.uk

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Comments(23)

jhar30 says...
5:13pm Wed 30 Jan 13

This pub is like a modern day phone box not very busy and a lot of competition in the local area, The Horse and Groom (good music), The Reservoir (good food). Unfortunately the Guardian reading tree huggers and anoraks who used the Unity decided to stay at home in their woolly jumpers drinking dark ales. The infamous Pub Quiz impresario Mr Potter and the local fashionable but inappropriate mayor has bypassed the place by jumping ship to the Groom. Even the smitten Professor's new found capitalist tendencies have taken him to visiting old haunts and hangouts.The Unitys problem is not enough drinkers !..

The Geese is the place that's moved with the times, good food/clean surroundings and high definition wide screen sports. Dave and Natham the Landlords are welcoming hosts who unlike most, have been known to buy a punter a pint now and again.

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Sussex jim says...
5:18pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Pubs are social meeting places, especially for those who live alone or are in town on business and staying overnight.
There has to a case for planning commitees to refuse a change of use for popular pubs unless there are exceptional circumstances- and the deliberate running down of a pub by the owner should not count.

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inadaptado says...
5:42pm Wed 30 Jan 13

For crying out loud, it's not like this is a 1000 people town and they are going to close its only pub. There are plenty of other pubs around, and we actually need more places to live than to drink.

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Luke72 says...
6:44pm Wed 30 Jan 13

inadaptado wrote:
For crying out loud, it's not like this is a 1000 people town and they are going to close its only pub. There are plenty of other pubs around, and we actually need more places to live than to drink.
Agree with this; if this were a small town & tge only pub was closing it would be terrible. However there is hardly a shortage of pubs nearby.

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posthuman says...
7:09pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I'm surprised to learn that this is under threat now.
My girlfriend & I only discovered the London Unity late last year and have been back as often as possible!
It had a friendly atmosphere, decent choice in beers and probably the best roast I've yet to have in all of Brighton!
The price for a bottle of their Red is recommended highly too.

Wishing the TLU all the bemst with this campaign to save dam right decent pub!

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BN1 JB says...
7:19pm Wed 30 Jan 13

jhar30 wrote:
This pub is like a modern day phone box not very busy and a lot of competition in the local area, The Horse and Groom (good music), The Reservoir (good food). Unfortunately the Guardian reading tree huggers and anoraks who used the Unity decided to stay at home in their woolly jumpers drinking dark ales. The infamous Pub Quiz impresario Mr Potter and the local fashionable but inappropriate mayor has bypassed the place by jumping ship to the Groom. Even the smitten Professor's new found capitalist tendencies have taken him to visiting old haunts and hangouts.The Unitys problem is not enough drinkers !..

The Geese is the place that's moved with the times, good food/clean surroundings and high definition wide screen sports. Dave and Natham the Landlords are welcoming hosts who unlike most, have been known to buy a punter a pint now and again.
Bravo! Perfect description of the Unity. Plenty of pubs in the area that are more hospitable. No loss at all!

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BN1 JB says...
7:20pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Bring back the Spread Eagle!!!

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ARealBessie says...
7:36pm Wed 30 Jan 13

What a surprise (not). Billy Boozer and 5 Homes Lucas backing a local campaign against the closure of a local pub.
Such a shame they weren't quite so enthusiastic about saving our local open green from concrete skate park developers.

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IShouldoftriedharder says...
10:15pm Wed 30 Jan 13

ARealBessie wrote:
What a surprise (not). Billy Boozer and 5 Homes Lucas backing a local campaign against the closure of a local pub.
Such a shame they weren't quite so enthusiastic about saving our local open green from concrete skate park developers.
I'm sure there will still be enough space for you to drink your bottle of white cider, score drugs and argue with your crack head friends even with a skate park in the way. Or, if these characteristics don't apply to you, go to one of the other green spaces that are within walking distance for anyone who is not completely bone idle. Hell, you could even walk the 15 minuets to the beach if your feeling super adventurous.

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hanover6329 says...
10:42pm Wed 30 Jan 13

It is always a shame when a business closes, especially one that has been around for so long, but unfortunately thats how it goes.
If the current landlord, Mr Leach cared as much bout his customers as other landlords clearly do (namely Nathan at The Geese) then maybe it would e busier. I agree with 'JHAR30', The Geese is definitely the best pub in Hanover now, with the friendliest Owner and Barstaff. Always something happening.
Take note Mr Leach.
I also undersand that Nathan is te new owner of The Greys, whilst sceptical of this, he looks to be doing a brilliant job. Music returned!
Best of luck Mr Leach, better luck The Geese!

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Capt. Sensiblé says...
12:15am Thu 31 Jan 13

Enterprise Inns should have their license to operate in Brighton revoked, these pubs were there a long time before they caught the wave of the property boom and subleased their pubs with onerous management contracts. They are just blatantly trying to squeeze every penny from the locals.

A few years ago, The Unity was redecorated using the same company which Enterprise used for all of their other pubs in the area. Used to have grimy tables, posters, cheap ale, but now it looks like everywhere else, which has led to a homogenous experience. musicians, writers, sunday league footballers, dog on string types and the great unwashed used to frequent there, which, fair enough, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but at least it had some character about it, and a good caribbean influenced roast menu on a sunday.

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Wooton Basset says...
3:04am Thu 31 Jan 13

going going gone and you know that, might get you a vote off the local freaks though...

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John Steed says...
7:59am Thu 31 Jan 13

as pubs continue to have an irrelavence as community centres with ten minute landlord changes, expensive drinks and little or no atmospere, is it surprising that the only people to realise this are the foreigners who flock here and open up a little convinience stores with 90% of turnover being drink. the public have voted with their feet.

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jools80 says...
9:58am Thu 31 Jan 13

Get a grip people! If you had all used the pub,it wouldn't be losing money now would it? Nobody sells off a profitable business. Hanover must have more pub floor space per head of population than anywhere else in the city. Now, we need more HOMES not more PUBS. There is and will continue to be a massive shortfall of housing provision in the city. And who is going to provide them? Oh yes - developers! Because the council has no money to build more homes & Housing Associations are almost as cash-strapped.

There are no planning policies in the Local Plan to protect pubs. So the planners will have no reason to refuse the application in principle. If the application for conversion/change of use is refused by the planning committee - which seems a possible scenario given all the fuss - then the developer will appeal the decision. And will almost certainly win the appeal. (Trust me, I'm a planner).

So all you protesters - rather than waste your time on what is already a lost cause - spend your spare time doing something useful - like volunteering to read to a child in school, help at a food bank, visit a lonely older person and do their shopping. Thank you.

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gheese77 says...
12:04pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Drinks cost an arm and a leg and you cant smoke inside anymore. Many pubs have turned into souless places no more than glorified resturants for rich pensioners - I'm afraid that the pubs of my youth have gone forever

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Mark_Hove says...
12:56pm Thu 31 Jan 13

I heard from a good source that there had been offers to take over the pub but Enterprise Inn wanted to sell for development because they did not want competition for any of their other pubs in the area. So either my friend is lieing, or the Spokeswomen from Enterprise Inn is lieing. I trust my friend

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jools80 says...
1:04pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Mark_Hove wrote:
I heard from a good source that there had been offers to take over the pub but Enterprise Inn wanted to sell for development because they did not want competition for any of their other pubs in the area. So either my friend is lieing, or the Spokeswomen from Enterprise Inn is lieing. I trust my friend
Do you support pubs of which there are many,or homes of which there are not enough? And business is business! Are you that naive?

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NickBrt says...
1:51pm Thu 31 Jan 13

How come Caroline Lucas has shown an interest? Is this pub the HQ of smash EDO or something?

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ARealBessie says...
3:32pm Thu 31 Jan 13

NickBrt wrote:
How come Caroline Lucas has shown an interest? Is this pub the HQ of smash EDO or something?
My guess is that after the Greens embarrassing support for the extreme council makeover of The Level, Caro' has some damage limitation to do and is now trying to make out like she's one of us (*snicker snicker*). Nothing like getting behind a minor, uncontroversial campaign to ingratiate herself back into local good books! FAIL!

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chrisso says...
9:03pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Loads of local pubs have gone in Brighton in the last 10 years or so, and lots more will go. The times they are a changing, and not always for the best.

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YODA DA MAIN MAN says...
9:29pm Thu 31 Jan 13

"WHEN YOU HAVE LOST YOUR INNS,
DROWN YOUR EMPTY SELVES, FOR YOU WILL HAVE THE LAST OF ENGLAND"

Hillaire Belloc

Pub co's are running most of their pubs into the ground and more than happy to charge the people who try to run them profitably high rents and high prices to buy beer from them - no wonder they're being closed down and then sold on to the property market and line their pockets even more and keep their winging shareholders happy.

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YODA DA MAIN MAN says...
9:32pm Thu 31 Jan 13

"WHEN YOU HAVE LOST YOUR INNS,
DROWN YOUR EMPTY SELVES, FOR YOU WILL HAVE LOST THE LAST OF ENGLAND"

Hillaire Belloc

Pub co's are running most of their pubs into the ground and more than happy to charge the people who try to run them profitably high rents and high prices to buy beer from them - no wonder they're being closed down and then sold on to the property market and line their pockets even more and keep their winging shareholders happy.

Report this post »

Mart says...
9:59am Fri 1 Feb 13

Brighton has far too much retail, and also far too many pubs.

This is really no great loss.

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