Residents raise glasses in support of town local

Arun District Council's ban to prohibit drinking outside one of the town's most popular watering hole stipulates that no drinks can be taken out on to the pavement, and was imposed last summer following a small number of complaints received from people living in the vicinity regarding noise generated.

In addition to the outside drinking ban, continual complaints from residents in the vicinity were received regarding the Open Mic sessions which the pub runs every fourth Sunday afternoon. These popular sessions offer local musicians a stage to demonstrate their talent in front of an enthusiastic and welcoming crowd.

The campaign has received an overwhelming response, with in excess of 350 people registering their support on a written petition and a further 420 supporters signing up to the Official Facebook Group '“ which offers a forum for Arundel residents past and present to share their memories of this pub.

Owner and landlady of The Eagle, Eileen Hatton, is amazed by the level of local support which has been received throughout the campaign.

She said: "The response to the petition and Facebook Group has been staggering. It has generated a new dialogue amongst the regulars who actually feel that something is being done to preserve their local pub and its part in the community. The uniqueness of The Eagle is its community spirit, which to date has never been stronger."

The aim of the petition, which is to be submitted to Arun District Council this week, is to display the town's support for The Eagle and its proprietors. It is requesting that a compromise is met, which will take into account the opinions of those living in the immediate vicinity of the pub, and at the same time enable The Eagle to continue to serve the Arundel community as it has done for over a 100 years.

Arun District Council is being asked to ensure that limitations imposed on the use of the outside space and musical events should be reasonable, and should enable Arundel residents to continue to enjoy their local pub, whilst respecting the feelings of others. It is proposed that a curfew is implemented allowing socialising outside the pub until a mutually agreed time, thereby allowing both parties to co-exist.

Emily Waring, an Arundel resident who is managing the campaign, said: "Other public houses within Arundel town centre run regular live music events, which have never come up against the same resistance and are very popular. Therefore the question has to be asked, why is The Eagle up against such opposition? Properties in Tarrant Street are purchased in the full knowledge that there are public houses in the vicinity. Therefore why buy a house there if you are not happy with this?

"The main concern is that come the summer months, customers will go elsewhere so they can sit outside. This almost certainly will have a negative effect on the pub, which, like many others, is already struggling in the current economic climate. The worst-case scenario would be that last orders are called at The Eagle for good and I have to question if local residents would prefer to live next to a boarded-up pub '“ as I am sure this would affect their house prices."

Anyone wanting to show support for The Eagle, can join the Facebook group 'Save The Eagle'. Once the petition has been submitted, the response from Arun District Council will be available at this location.