Music pub 'angry' over approved office plans

The Prince Albert pub in Brighton fears closure after a planning appeal was approved by the government's planning inspectorate. Pictured, pub owner George Taylor

A longstanding grassroots music pub fears it could close in the future after a planning appeal for a four-storey office block next door was approved.

The owners of the Prince Albert in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, say they are worried it will receive noise complaints if the office block is built, which could lead to it shutting permanently.

The site's owner, Campings Luxury Coaches, appealed against Brighton & Hove City Council's unanimous refusal of planning permission in November 2023 which the government planning inspectorate overturned last month.

Campings Luxury Coaches has been approached for comment.

The Prince Albert has a mural with dozens of celebrities and also a piece of Banksy art called Kissing Coppers

The pub, which has live music every night of the week, previously launched a petition which received 22,000 signatures of support and more than 1,500 people also submitted objections to the planning application.

George Taylor, the pub's owner, told BBC Radio Sussex: "We're feeling disillusioned, angry, annoyed. The decision has been taken with someone who never really took the local feeling into account."

Mr Taylor says he is worried that the office block could one day be turned into flats which could put the pub's future in jeopardy. The site is currently a former vehicle rental garage.

He added: "That would be the end of the venue, the end of the pub."

A separate application was approved in April 2024 for the site to become a street food market which the Prince Albert supports. It would be operated by Lewes-based Beak Brewery.

An illustration of the street-food market which is one of two planning applications at 47 Trafalgar Street next to the pub

Mr Taylor said: "It's the exact sort of neighbour we want next to us."

Danny Tapper, founder of Beak Brewery, said the company had committed a "huge amount of time planning a taproom and street food market" which had widespread support.

He added: "We are still very much committed to the project but unfortunately the building requires significantly more renovation work than initially thought and we cannot go ahead with the build until it has been fully costed. We hope to be in a position to make a final decision in the near future."

The Planning Inspectorate said that it could not comment because it is still within the six week window that the decision could be challenged in the High Court.

Liz Loughran, chair of the council's planning committee, said: "We listened to concerns and rejected the proposals on the grounds of design, impact on neighbours and that the applicant hadn't demonstrated the impact of the Prince Albert wouldn't affect future occupants.

"However, ultimately, the planning inspectorate has the final say."