The Rose Hill Tavern has survived a challenge from its new owners who wanted the council to strip it of its special protection.
The pub was sold by Enterprise Inns earlier this year, and regulars afraid it would be turned into homes persuaded the council to make it an asset of community value (ACV).
This means the community has six months to put together a bid to buy the pub, and a Rose Hill Tavern Action Group has been set up to raise £350,000 plus VAT to buy the property.
The new owners, a private property development company, wrote to the council protesting that at least 30 names on the ACV signatories list belonged to people not registered to vote in Brighton.
But this week the council said the ACV should stay as the action group itself did have the required number of members on the register.
Richard James of the action group said: “The Action group is extremely pleased that the council has upheld the ACV on appeal. Obviously, the owners are entitled to appeal to the first-tier tribunal against the council’s review decision.
“We are continuing with our fundraising, and are looking for any funders or investors who wish to help, these can contact the action group via this email address.
“We are hoping to have a meeting with the current owners to discuss this matter further, as we are eager to work with them to resolve this to the satisfaction of all concerned.”
A council spokesman said: “The new owners of Rose Hill Tavern asked Brighton & Hove City Council to review its decision to list the property as an Asset of Community Value.
“The owners raised a number of issues, one of which related to the status of the 30 people whose names and signatures appeared on the original nomination form.
“As part of the council’s review, it was confirmed that the community body behind the nomination, Rose Hill Tavern Action Group, did have the required number of members on the Brighton & Hove electoral register, which satisfied the legal test of the body having a ‘local connection’ with Brighton and Hove.
“The council’s review decision was made on 28 July 2014.”
It’s believed the new owners want to turn the pub into two houses, but retain the distinctive green tiling outside.
And that email address is rosehilltavernactiongroup AT gmail DOT com
And that email address is rosehilltavernactiongroup AT gmail DOT com