Closed down Sussex pub to be turned into a community café and bar

The newly designed venue will be named Jolly, and Jack and Flo hope for the it to be a space for community and music events, with a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

Formerly from Brighton, the couple moved to Newhaven because they were so drawn to the building, even though they knew no one in the area. However, they said that they quickly found a community that they love here which Flo described as “unlike anywhere else”.

Flo said that they hope to "make it represent the majority of the community”, with improvements to the accessibility of the building a major concern.

They surveyed people in the area and attended the town’s Soup and Social events for a better understanding of what the people in the community wanted from the site.

The building lies next to a children’s play park and a walkway alongside the River Ouse, so they wanted to create a welcoming place for families, hikers and cyclists.

Their planned improvement to the building will improve the sustainability of the building, and save on energy costs. They hope this will sustain their business, as Flo says, they continually ask “how can we be the best business we can be”.

For Jack, the area is “already losing too many community facilities” and “there isn’t enough community infrastructure”. Their plans hope to change this, and Jack added that it would be the "only community public venue for the valley.”

Discussing the wave of pub closures sweeping the country since lockdown, Flo said that it is "not enough to be a good pub anymore". Their aim is to create a space that is more than a pub, but a welcoming space for everyone without the pressure to drink alcohol.

They were originally aiming for an August opening time, but as the planning permission process took longer than expected they are now hoping to open by September, with building work starting in May.

Watch the video above for a full tour of the old pub, as Jack and Flo talk through their plans.

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