A CRAFT beer shop has launched a bid to reopen a derelict pub which was being eyed by Burger King as a new restaurant site.

Independent shop and brewer Bison Beer want to reopen the former Mariner pub as a pub and said they had an agreement in principle with the landlord.

The pub in East Street would be reopened as The Bison Arms after being vacant for the past four years.

The site was the focus of controversy when food chain Burger King filed for planning permission to open a 76-seater restaurant in the Grade II listed Clarendon Mansions.

Conservationists and residents reeled against the plans, protesting the new burger bar could ruin the seafront's appearance while smells and noise would cause a nuisance.

An online petition against the proposals were signed by 11,500 people.

Nick Vardy and Jack Cregan, co-owners of Bison Beer in East Street, have teamed up with Simon Duddington, manager of the Bottom’s Rest in Hove, and are calling on businesses across the city to support them through a crowdfunding campaign.

Mr Cregan said: “We want to revive Clarendon Mansions as a pub. A pub that champions everything about Brighton and Sussex.

“We have started a Crowdfunder campaign in order to raise the funds to carry out phase one of the project – reviving the ground floor pub.

“Phase two would be reviving the lower ground floor and would be self funded once the pub was up and running.”

“Crowdfunding means that investors big and small from the local community can contribute to the project, have a stake in the business that will grow as the business does as well as other stakeholder benefits including discounts, events and gifts.

“Our focus would be sourcing from local breweries around Sussex for craft beers and real ales with no ties and politics which you often see in Brighton and showcasing them in our ‘Tap Room’.”

The site is currently leased by Whitbread, which has left parts of the building empty for several years, having failed to find a tenant.

An application from Burger King is due to go before Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee for minor changes to the building.

To support their campaign visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-bison-arms-crowdfunder-launch-tickets-19617849516