Conversion of empty Bexhill pub into flats and office approved

On Thursday (August 13), Rother District Council’s planning committee approved proposals to convert the Sussex Hotel – a vacant pub and hotel in London Road – into ten new flats, with office space below.

The committee’s decision came despite planning officers recommending the proposals should be refused, as they considered not enough has been done to show there is no interest in reopening the business under new management.

Many committee members felt differently, however, arguing that the benefits of housing and reuse of a vacant building outweighed the loss of the business.

Gary Curtis (Con, Catsfield and Crowhurst) said: “I think everything seems to have been done to market the property and so far it has proved fruitless. In the current climate, I don’t think there is any likelihood that is going to change.

“In view of the situation with Covid etc, any long term prospects for any pub [are affected].  I think you would need to be seriously mad or have a very good business that’s been established for a while and I don’t think in this case that could apply.

“[The pub] is derelict. It looks dreadful and I would think any sort of development would improve it drastically.”

Similar arguments were made earlier in the meeting by Christine Bayliss, Labour ward councillor and the council’s cabinet member for economic development and regeneration. 

She said: “I think it is obvious to most why it cannot possibly be viable as a business anymore.

“It is not in the town centre. It is not near the beach, Bexhill nightlife or the De La Warr Pavilion. It is not on a major trunk road to pick up passing trade. It has a terrible reputation and any potential buyer would be immediately put off from purchasing the building.”

She added: “If permission is granted today Rother will get: much-needed homes meeting all our space and utility requirements; a new business on the ground floor; CIL and the New Homes Bonus; and a smart new building that could act as a catalyst for others to invest in the Bexhill Gateway.”

Cllr Bayliss also highlighted the premises’ Tripadvisor reviews, arguing that would be likely to put off any potential buyers.

Other committee members felt differently, however.

Mary Barnes (Con, Hurst Green and Ticehurst) said: “If you went back [to Tripadvisor reviews] before the last couple of years, to 2005, which admittedly is a little bit out of the timeframe, people were extremely satisfied. They had had a very pleasant stay and it was comfortable.

“My assumption here is that something disastrous happened to the management of the hotel over the last two or three years.

“I still think that we have a duty to try and make this work as a small budget hotel.”

She added: “I think if it was properly run and advertised in a way that would make it possible for a firm who are interested in small budget hotels to take on, then I think it would do Bexhill very well indeed.”

Officers meanwhile argued that the points around viability had not been completely proven and urged members to “exercise caution” in their decision-making.

The council’s head of planning Sam Batchelor said: “Points of view have been put forward quite explicitly to say the scheme is not viable, that the premises is not profitable [and] that the scheme is in a poor location and will therefore never make money. 

“The policy sets up a framework for dealing with that in an unbiased and unequivocal way, such that you don’t have to rely on personal opinions or hearsay or views that haven’t got any full objective grounding to them.

“What we are flagging up in the report is that those things haven’t been done.”

The pub, which closed its doors in June 2019, has been on the market in some form since February 2018. However, it has not been advertised as a pub for sale or rent since August last year, planning papers say.

As a result officers considered the applicant had not done enough to show there is no demand for a pub and hotel premises. 

Planning officers also said there was insufficient proof that the premises are not financially viable.

Despite officers’ concerns the application was approved following further discussion, with nine for and four against.

The approved scheme sees the top two storeys of the building converted into ten one-bedroom, self-contained flats. The ground floor, meanwhile, is to be converted into commercial office space.

The proposals also include a substantial extension, which would extend all three floors of the building and across a large part of the rear yard.

For further details of the proposals see application reference RR/2019/2289P on the Rother District Council planning website.

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