Plans to turn Worthing live music venue into restaurant rejected

The bar, in Marine Parade, has been the go-to place for local musicians since 2011, even working with the Northbrook MET College to give students a place to showcase their talents.

During a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday (August 12), members were told the bar’s lease would run out in April 2021 and the landlord was keen to open a restaurant, which he felt was more suitable for the area.

Neither planning officers nor councillors agreed.

The council received more than 200 letters objecting to the plans and James Appleton, head of planning, said: “A number of concerns have been about the loss of this grassroots music venue.

“It has developed into quite an important community use in relation to young musicians using it as an opportunity to test their talents and play in front of an audience.”

The council’s emerging Local Plan identified the lack of music venues in the town as an issue and said they should be protected.

Landlord Phuong Le and neighbour Paul Crone told the committee there had been problems with antisocial behaviour over the years – something Bar 42 manager Mark Knowles has denied.

In a report to the committee, the environmental health officer said no nuisance or licensing offences had ever been substantiated and there had been no noise complaints since 2018.

Mr Crone’s claim that ‘the nuisance has not gone away – we simply gave up complaining’ was looked upon dubiously by some members.

Jim Deen (Lab, Central) said ‘an enormous amount of effort’ had gone into making the bar as soundproof as possible while Paul Baker (Con, Broadwater) said antisocial concerns were a matter for the police and licensing teams.

Mr Baker added: “During the lock-down, the performing arts have taken a hell of a battering and to do anything other than refuse this would be another nail in the coffin of live performing arts in the town.”

Martin McCabe (Lib Dem, Tarring) agreed, adding: “We’ve got to do everything we can to support venues like this. It’s so important to so many people.”

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Knowles said he was ‘really pleased’ with the outcome and the support shown by both customers and councillors.

Regarding the future of Bar 42 once the lease runs out, he said he would rather stay in Marine Parade but, if left with no other choice, would move elsewhere.

He added: “I imagine this is going to go to court.

“I’ve written a letter to [Mr Le’s] solicitor giving them seven days to decide what they’re going to do because this has been going on for months now.”

Bar 42 received plenty of support on the Herald’s Facebook page.

It was described as a ‘fantastic’ music venue, with users particularly praising it for giving young and up and coming bands a chance to perform.

One reader wrote: “As Worthing develops it’s important to keep a good range of diversity in what it has to offer its residents, rather than perhaps the homogenisation of the seafront.”

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