East Sussex village gets first pub in eight years after company transforms building at 180-year-old station

The owners of Steamworks at Seaford Station have now opened Steamworks Glynde after their latest planning application was approved.

Steamworks Bakehouse and Bar had previously applied in February 2024 to change the building at the station into a bar and light refreshment facility.

This was turned down in April so they applied again in July to use the site for the sale of food and drink, to be consumed on the premises, but this was refused in August.

Steamworks then applied for a ‘restaurant-based food and beverage venue’ at the former paragliding shop instead. This application was approved in November and can be seen at planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications (SDNP/24/03452/FUL).

A Facebook message from The Steamworks Team said late last year: “We are absolutely delighted to announce that after two years and numerous planning applications, we have finally been granted permission to open our gorgeous Steamworks Glynde. I'm not gonna lie, there has been a lot of beers, tears and tantrums along the way, but we got there in the end! We have so many people to thank and I will get round to that very soon.”

The team started renovating the venue and opened up in December. Its opening hours are 10am to 11pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays and 10am to 10pm on Sundays. The venue is closed on Mondays.

In its February 2024 planning application Steamworks said Glynde station was built in 1844 by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. They added that this would be the first pub in Glynde since the Trevor Arms closed in 2017.

The application received dozens of letters of support with one saying: “Having visited the proprietors’ Steamworks establishment in Seaford I’m sure the food, drinks and service will be first class and an asset to the village.”

One supporter said: “It would be so nice to have a cosy little pub in that area, to relax and take in some refreshments after a long walk.”

Another said: “The success of the Steamworks in Seaford should be shown as an example of what can be done with places like these. A restaurant would be a great addition to Glynde.”