A bar in Hove, which was forced to close after a fire in a flat upstairs, has reopened for business – and is looking to open at another site in nearby Worthing.
The Gin Tub, in Church Road, Hove, posted a message about its temporary closure on Facebook two weeks ago, on Monday 8 August.
The message said: “As you might have seen in the local news, we were affected by a fire in the flat above us on Friday morning (5 August).
“Unfortunately, we are still closed and undergoing work before we can reopen later this week.
“Thanks for all the messages and support. We will keep everyone updated on when we are reopening.”
The bar reopened on Friday (19 August).
Brighton Bars Limited, owned by Justine Guille, has now also applied for a premises licence for the former St James’ Evangelical Free Church, High Street, Worthing, which closed in the late 1980s.
The old church was previously Alehouse and Kitchen, next to Saints and Sinners, and previously Ten cocktail bar.
The Gin Tub is seeking permission to open and serve alcohol from 11am to 1am on Mondays to Wednesdays and from 11am to 2am on Thursdays to Sundays.
The licence application, submitted to Worthing Borough Council, also seeks permission for live music from 6pm to 11pm seven days a week.
It is thought that two separate businesses may be created at the venue.
If the application is granted, the Gin Tub will become yet another Brighton and Hove food and drink business to have expanded into Worthing.
Previous examples include the Laughing Dog, in Brighton Road, and Cases, in the Montague Quarter.
Worthing Borough Council is currently considering the licensing application and is running a consultation on its website until Thursday 8 September.
A decision is due to be made by early October.
Brighton and Hove City Council revoked the Gin Tub’s licence in December 2019 after traces of cocaine were found during checks at the premises in Church Road, Hove.
Brighton Bars appealed to Brighton Magistrates’ Court and, in April last year, won the case on appeal after agreeing to new licence conditions.
Good on them, their licence revoke was politically motivated, there’s cocaine in every pub toilet, but not every pub has a tory Councillor landlord.