Stoic business owners are carrying on regardless today despite part of Brighton seafront remaining closed.

Businesses in Kings Road are determined to trade despite the shock of subsidence which caused part of the seafront to collapse into a pub in the historic arches.

It is feared that the eastbound A259, a major transport route through the city, could remain closed between West Street and Ship Street for weeks while engineers investigate the full extent of the problem.

The road came caving in on the Fortune of War pub in the Kings Road Arches on Friday morning after workmen trying to repair a leak at the back of the pub removed a piece of plywood in the roof, causing tonnes of earth and rocks to fall in and expos a six foot hole.

Engineers working on behalf of the council carried out more work on Saturday and more news on the length of the closure is expected either today or tomorrow.

In the meantime the Fortune Of War and other seafront traders including the Umi Hotel and Little Bay Restaurant remain open.

Laurence Hill, manager of the Fortune of War, said: “We are still open except for the fact that we have had to shut off the back area.

“It means we have had to shut off our toilets and are asking customers to use the council toilets nearby.

“It’s not ideal but at least we are still open.

“We have not had any developments over the weekend, a team of surveyors are coming back on Monday morning but no idea yet how long it might take, it looks like a big job.”

Robert Grzywaczewski, duty manager at the Umi Hotel, said: “On the first day we were told that we might have to evacuate but fortunately that wasn’t the case.

“We have heard nothing since then.

“The only problem is there’s limited access to the Russell Road Car Park and guests have to move further down the road to get a taxi but we are still able to operate.”