The Bison Arms: Reviving 80 East St as a pub championing the best of Brighton and stop it becoming a fast food chain

The Bison Arms

Introduction

What we want to achieve?

We aim to revive 80 East Street, Brighton as a pub specialising in craft beer, local beer, championing the best of what’s local including trades, artists, illustrators, writers and chefs to help us create this community based business. A real alternative to Burger King’s plans to open another franchise in this period property.

We aim for it to be a modern pub with no ties showcasing the best of local cask and keg beers displayed in our ‘Tap Room’ the first in Brighton.

A kitchen operation run by local talented chefs providing quality, fresh food with minimal waste using produce primarily from Sussex.

A pub open day and in to the night, 7 days a week that engages with the businesses and people around it striking the balance that considers the business, the residents, council and community.

We want it to become a new hub for the community around East Street, one that acts as a positive force, is well managed and will add to the current momentum of the East Street improvements.

Intended impact

How we aim to do it.

Phase 1: £100k: Ground Floor pub launch – March/April 2016.
· Secure lease and sort planning/listing issues.
· Redesign ground floor interior.
· Refurbish kitchen, bar, cellar & toilets.
· Build tap room and bespoke booths.
· Invite local artists to customise their own area.
· Full redecoration of interior & exterior.
· Launch ‘The Bison Arms’ with full publicity launch.
· Invite local breweries to showcase their beers.

Phase 2: £200k: Basement: microbrewery, bar & venue.
Complete listed works required;

· Redesign basement space.
· Rebuild bar, toilets, microbrewery & venue.
· Full redecoration.
· Add basement to existing business & launch.

Substantial accomplishments to date

A successful Seedrs campaign is what we need to begin the dream.

Once we have sufficient backing we can take on a new 25 year lease from the landlord, prevent any other alternatives and begin work on creating The Bison Arms.

Use of proceeds

This campaign will see the funds to complete Phase 1.

This aims to set up the Ground Floor pub business, Brighton’s first Tap room and re-launch a food operation.

We aim for the proceeds from this business to fund Phase 2 to renovate the Basement level and launch a second bar, microbrewery and venue as part of existing Bison Arms business.

Once Phase 1 & 2 are complete we can focus on growth and then look at creating further sites under the same funding and management model.

Source: ICNW