HUNDREDS of objections have poured in to oppose new plans for a pub.

Planning permission is being sought from Brighton and Hove City Council to reopen half of The Dyke pub and create two new flats in the loft space.

But those against the new plans claim the new pub is being set up to fail.

A spokeswoman for the Save The Dyke Pub (STDP) campaign group said: “We firmly believe that a small, dark ‘new’ pub with a tiny outdoor space and a limited kitchen will not be sustainable.

"Such a set-up, designed to fall, is widely known as a Trojan Horse scenario in the pub trade.

“Either the pub falls through lack of sustainable trade or closes due to complaints from residents above.

"The situation, we have been warned could lead to the pub, which has stood on that site since 1885, being lost for good.”

STDP is urging people to lodge objections by Monday July 10. Since the application was received last month 209 objections have been recorded, while 30 have been received in support.

A decision is due to be made on August 1.

The application reveals plans by owner Martin Webb to reopen half of the ground floor of the Dyke Road building as a pub/pizzeria with seating for more than 100 people.

The other half of the ground floor will remain an antiques store while the beer garden will display ornaments.

The plans also include two new flats on the second floor created out of current loft space.

Speaking to The Argus, Mr Webb said: “A lot of people said they want the pub back and they didn’t want any over development, so we have got rid of plans for houses at the rear.

"It will be a manageable size and we think people, although they may have reservations about it, once they’ve actually seen it they will quite like it.”

The story so far

  • September 2016 - The owner of the Dyke Pub and Kitchen closes it overnight to the shock of staff and locals.
  • October 2016 - Campaign group Save the Dyke Pub submit an Asset of Community Value (ACV) nomination to Brighton and Hove City Council.
  • December 2016 - Council agrees to ACV meaning if owner sells pub, a community group can trigger six moratorium to raise the cash to buy it.
  • March 2017 - Owner reveals plans for two townhouses in the beer garden and to reopen half the pub.
  • April 2017 - The Dyke Pub Preservation Society (DPPS) makes owners offer of £965,000, based on independent valuation but this is rejected as the owners wanted £1.6 million at the time.