Fatboy Slim says Brighton music venue faces slow death

The Prince Albert pub in Trafalgar Street is a high profile grassroots music venue in Brighton

Hove DJ Fatboy Slim has said a music venue in Brighton faces "a slow death" if a nearby development goes ahead.

More than 1,200 people have objected to an application for a commercial building next door to the Prince Albert pub in Trafalgar Street in the city.

The star, whose real name is Norman Cook, played a surprise gig at the venue on Monday night.

The proposals are set to go before Brighton and Hove City Council on Wednesday.

The plans would see an existing car rental premises demolished to make way for a four-storey building comprising of offices and possibly a cafe and shop.

Speaking at the Prince Albert on Monday, Mr Cook said: "It's a long slow death over three or four years if the neighbours complain.

"In Brighton, we preserve our Grade II and Grade I listed buildings, we preserve Regency architecture because it's part of what Brighton is. We should preserve music venues in the same way because they're a more recent part of Brighton culture but a huge amount nonetheless."

Norman Cook said music venues should be preserved in the same way as regency architecture in the city

The pub is also famous as the original location of Banksy's "Kissing Coppers" mural, which fetched $575,000 (£345,000) when it was sold at auction in the US.

A petition against the plans launched by the pub's owner on 27 October saw more than 14,000 signatures gathered in three days.

Concerns include the size and scale of the proposed building and subsequent loss of light for the Grade II listed pub, and the impact of noise complaints against the venue.

The plans were first submitted in August 2022 and originally included plans for holiday lets on the top floor, which have since been withdrawn.

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas also objected to the plans, when the holiday lets were included, over fears that noise issues could put the music venue next door at risk.

A final decision is due on Wednesday.

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