A community pub in Moulsecoomb which has temporarily closed may have to become a dry bar to balance the books.
The Bevy announced it was closed until further notice on its social media accounts last Friday (16 February).
The cooperatively-owned pub, in Hillside, Mouslecoomb, has postponed its annual meeting but says it will definitely serve its seniors’ club this Friday.
Dozens of people turned up for a public meeting last July as the pub asked the community for ideas to try to save it from closure when rising prices left the venue running at a loss.
The Bevy posted on X saying: “Thank you for all your goodwill messages, it really is appreciated.
“We ain’t done just yet – but we do need to find a way to balance the books.
“It’s costing us nearly £500 a day before we even open the doors and we need to reduce that along with up our takings.
“We are hoping to open later in the week although we might be a temporary trendy dry bar.
“We will definitely still be serving our seniors club. There’s no way we are letting them down.”
The pub has turned to hosting more community events in recent months, including a job club and disability disco, alongside family events and an after school kids club.
The Bevy building is owned by the local East Brighton Trust, who converted the upper floor into flats while 800 shareholders bought £10 shares to help begin refurbishing the building.
It is still the only community-owned pub on a housing estate in the UK.
I guess the questions are – has it ever kept its head above water ? Can it be turned around ? What difference does having beer or not have to the financial viability ? I can see East Brighton Trust look quite healthy on paper so the trust looks healthy. Unless the directors of East Brighton Trust wish to turn downstairs into dwellings as well ? Rent re-structuring ? how do the outgoings amount to £182,500 ? – how can this be trimmed back ?
But like all these things and at the risk of stating the oblivious: Cash in must equal or exceed the cash out. Many business fail to recognise this basic fact and drift into insolvency. The main players of the Bevy need to get a grip (if it is not already too late). There is no point in crowdfunding/borrowing if it cant be paid back or it will just be in the same position next year.
I genuinely wish them luck as no doubt much sweat and tears have gone into this venture.
East Brighton Trust is the organisation which owns the building.
The Bevy has its own organisation, so whatever the funds East Brighton Trust have, are nothing to do with the Bevy so they cannot transfer to The Bevy who have their own company.
(Any community donations East Brighton Trust give to local community run organisations is a separate matter).
Thanks I got that but I assume that East Brighton Trust are the landlords, and the Bevy has a lease and pays rent ? I did a bit of digging and found that they are an IPS (Industrial and provident Society) “The Bevendean Community Pub Limited”. The accounts show good and bad years but they normally end up with a little value even on years when there was a trading loss. However the register is not showing the latest accounts so things may have changed. Looking at Y.E April 2022 the years the expenses were £223,000 and they ended up with a loss of £12K but this was covered by the £80K that was in the bank. I can see that Turnover pre covid was running at £300,000 but at end April 2022 was only at £200,000 – so safe to say that cash in has not returned to earlier levels. However that period is partially affected by lock downs etc. The real picture will be found in the 2023 accounts, which are not yet showing on the FCA mutual’s website.
My understanding is that East Brighton Trust has also given them a lot of funding in the past. I found a photo of The Bevy receiving a £20,000 check from them, and looking on their website, have funding quite a lot of their community projects. https://sites.create-cdn.net/siteimages/10/8/2/108218/15/5/5/15552258/800×532.jpg?1497446333
Thanks Benjamin. I really do hope they pull through this.
Sadly it’s been run by a committee who don’t really have any experience of running pubs and have neglected the business side of things for pretty much all the time they have been open. They mean well I am sure but don’t have the ability to make a success of what should be a thriving venture.
Sad, but they needed strong management and never really had it.
Location isn’t great. Council should n subsidize.
Hey it’s Christian when will they open a gain then is sad it’s closed what’s going to happen to the building
Hey it’s Christian when will they open a gain then is sad it’s closed what’s going to happen to the building can member s off the public help with anything