Operators
Brighton beer shop aims to prevent Burger King with crowdfunded pub
Bison Beer Crafthouse is moving on to its “next big adventure” to help “keep the lovely Brighton old town free from Whoppers and Royales with cheese” by founding The Bison Arms.
The owners of Bison, Nick Vardy and Jack Cregan, with Simon Duddington of the Bottoms Rest pub, Hove, aim to turn to East Street's Grade II listed Clarendon Mansions on Brighton's seafront East Street, Brighton’s seafront, into a Sussex-centric pub and restaurant.
Cregan told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser: “We’re championing local brewers and food, and want to build something for the community.
“There’s been an awful lot of interest. We posted a video online and it’s fair to say it’s gone viral, it’s reached 100,000 people.”
The site has seen problems structurally, and Cregan accepts the £100,000 target for the first stage of crowdfunding will only be a fraction of the money needed.
“We know there’s a lot more work to be done, but we’re going to take responsibility for that,” he said.
The Bison Beer Crafthouse offers beers from a wide range of Sussex brewers, and the team hope investors from the breweries will be encouraged to get involved and see their beers stocked in the pub.
Bison has an agreement in principle with the owner of the building to take on the site if the crowdfunding target is achieved, after matching Burger King’s offer.
The campaign was inspired by an 11,500 strong petition to prevent the Burger King from being built in the Brighton Laines – which is renowned for independent businesses.
The first phase of crowdfunding will help renovate the ground floor. Investors will gain a stake in the business and benefit from discounts, gifts and events.
A second phase would revive the lower ground floor, after which the pub would aim to be sustainable.
The campaign has begun, and will go public on 4 November.
