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The landlord of the Bevy in Brighton, East Sussex, East Brighton Trust, is looking to sell the building in September.
In response, the community has launched an ACV application and is calling for locals to sign and support.
ACVs are given to buildings or land that are deemed to have significant importance to the local community.
Community groups can apply to have a pub listed as an ACV under the Localism Act 2011, providing a right to bid for the property should it be put up for sale.
If the application is successful, the ACV would delay the sale of the building, providing time for the community to raise funds and buy it themselves.
The petition to support the application states the Brighton venue is a “thriving, profitable pub that’s proved a community-owned business can work”.
Working model
It added: “This isn’t about saving a struggling pub, We’ve already proved the model works. This is about protecting everything that happens inside these four walls for future generations.
“If you believe every neighbourhood deserves a proper local like the Bevy, please support our ACV application.
“Every signature helps us take one step closer to securing the Bevy for good.”
Committee chair Warren Carter said: Hundreds of people use the Bevy every month - from two-year-olds to 92-year-olds.
“Alongside being a proper local pub, we’re home to our seniors’ lunch club family fun Thursday, dementia café, job club, book club, pool and darts teams and disability disco.”
Campaign aim
There is a goal of £250,000 to buy the pub and £500,000 to secure the entire freehold.
Each donation will be held in a separate, ring-fenced account, used only to purchase the freehold from East Brighton Trust and donations will be returned in line with campaign terms.
The pub reopened in 2014 after a three-year campaign by residents. Locals fought to save the site, raising much of the necessary £200,000 themselves as well as regular ‘work-ins’ that saw volunteers give up their time to fit out the pub.
