A pub whose owner is facing legal action for not replacing tiles he ripped off it is now up for sale.
Developer Charlie Southall hired friends to hack the tiles The Montreal Arms in Albion Hill three years ago.
Brighton and Hove City Council issued a stop notice the same day, and since then there has been a series of enforcement notices, planning applications and appeals – but no sign of any repairs being made.
Last month, ward councillor Tim Rowkins told neighbours the council was working behind the scenes to pursue the enforcement notice.
Today, for sale boards were put on the pub, and Savills Commercial confirmed it was on the market.
It’s not yet known how much it is being advertised for. Land Registry records show Mr Southall’s company Dragonfly Architectural Services Limited bought it for £420,000 in March 2022.
However company accounts filed since then say the enforcement action and legal dispute have lowered its value to an estimated £150,000.
Accounts filed in July 2023 say: “In the director’s opinion, it would be almost impossible to sell the property until the legal situation has been resolved.
“He estimates that the fair value at 30 September 2022 was no more than £150,000.”
This statement was also included in the following year’s accounts, published in June last year.
The pub is also an asset of community value, which means once put on the market, the owner must inform the local council.
If a community group registers an interest in buying the asset, they can put moratorium on the sale for six months to give them time to raise money to put in an offer.
However, the owner does not have to accept that offer. The ACV listing is in place until April 2027.
Londoner trying to make a fast buck
Oh no, just from the suggested figures here, Charlie has lost at least £370,000 on this. Plus, anyone who considers buying the building will also inherit the cost of repairing the building to listed status, so would make a sale of this building pretty unappealing.
…anyway, I feel some karmic justice has been dealt with here with Charlie. And I’m really glad he’s getting all the attention of his attempted grifting he deserves. Maybe next time he will follow the rules, instead of trying to flaunt them.
He’s NOT getting what he deserves.
We’ve been living with his criminal damage for 3 years. He’s been flouting rules and playing the “planning game” all that time.
Meanwhile, we live opposite a crumbling wreck.
He should lose ALL HIS money and be sent to gaol. At least a heavy fine that the council or community can use for the vast reapairs.
String action needed!
Why would the council or community pay for this?
bloody hell Keith, it’s just tiles
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Well, businesses should be help by the council otherwise, there will be much more empty shops around. They could get an agreement with Mr Charlie. So that , the community have a new building and a open business like a cafè bar/pub or restaurant.
Given the bad faith that’s characterised Mr Charlie’s ownership of the pub thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is just another desperate attempt to elude his responsibilities.
Do you think there is more to come?
The Council must 100% force the current owner to 100% repair the property before it can be sold.
I’m 90% sure that he does have to 100% restore the original tiles 100% of the original method, otherwise he has 0% chance of selling this, of that I am 100% sure.
What a great fly-on-the-wall documentary this would have been.
Stupid, greedy and petulant man.
Needs to act his age and not his shoe size!
This Charlie guy literally couldn’t be more of a bellend if he tried and now he’s made compete laughing stock of himself! I think Wickes have got an offer on tiles at the moment..
Has to be the specific style titles in the method made. Won’t find those at a local B&Q.
No-one is going to buy this whilst there is either the vandalism to be repaired, and with a legal case to settle on the land.
There are people in the world who would rather lose a six-figure sum of money to avoid the time and effort of having to fix the damage they caused through their own stupidity.