Club victim of smoke ban

No one is willing to take on the popular licensed premises in Park Road because it has no external areas where smoking can take place. These are required after Sunday's start of the law which means smoking can only take place outside.

The lack of operators has seen plans produced to convert the club into a self-contained two bedroom flat.

The buiding was the Parkhouse Hotel in the 1950s and planning approval to create a club was granted by councillors in 1972.

Mr N Birkett has applied to Arun District Council for planning permission to sever the final links with the commercial past.

His planning agent, Ken Hilton, says in a statement: 'The existing premises comprises a basement and ground floor area accessed via a spiral staircase.

'The premises has, for many years, been a private licensed club but has recently been vacant and unletable due to the decline in licensed premises and the pending new restrictions regarding smoking.

'In addition, the limited free parking in the surrounding area has caused a decline in trade and demand for this type of premises.

'The new proposal is, therefore, to convert the premises into a self-contained two bedroom flat unit in keeping with the existing flats on the first, second and third floors.'

The proposals would see overall appearance of the building and floor area remain unchanged.