FATBOY Slim is visiting a popular pub today to support its campaign to survive as a live music venue.

The Duke of Wellington in Shoreham holds between four and six live performances each week and likes to support local musicians and champion new talent.

But the pub’s staff are concerned an application for a residential development next door could affect its live music licence.

Now they are raising awareness of the issue – and are backed by Hove-based Fatboy, aka Norman cook.

Hannah Harrison, manager at the pub, said: “We are concerned our music licence may be in jeopardy due to a large residential building which is likely to be approved next door to us.

“We have been receiving help and advice from the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a UK-registered charity which campaigns to protect and improve grassroots music venues. We are raising awareness to protect our much-loved venue.”

The MVT successfully lobbied for “agent of change”, which came into UK planning advice in the National Planning Policy Framework in 2018.

Agent of change means the responsibility falls to the developer to protect nearby grassroots music venues from any negative outcome as a result of the development.

Jess Green, owner of the pub, said: “A developer wants to build a residential block right next door to us and the public consultation will start at the beginning of March.

“There are guidelines which the developer should follow to mitigate any possible problems such as noise complaints or losing our music licence. The way we are approaching this is to put on an event on Saturday, March 7, to celebrate the work of the Music Venue Trust for getting this change in planning guidance, and to raise money for the charity. We also want to raise awareness of grassroots music venues as a channel for new talent and for music in its own right, as it needs a place to exist. It’s about making sure these venues are valued.”

Jess said to follow the agent of change guidelines, the developer should have to create a “deed of easement” to be signed by residents in the area to recognise the pub’s existence and that sounds coming from the pub should be taken into account before spaces are sold or rented out.

She said: “The developer will have to design the building accordingly so the flats are orientated away from us, to prevent any threat of us having living areas above us.

“With support from the MVT we will be following the situation closely as the public consultation and planning process unfolds.”

The Keeping Our Music Alive event on March 7 will be an afternoon of live acts from 3pm, including the Shoreham Allstars and Duncan Disorderly and the Scallywags.