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Don't wait for me!
There isn't much is there?
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[Drinking] The Bison Arms
- Thread starter Bozza
- Start date
There isn't much is there?
Billy the Fish
Technocrat
Good point, I clicked into the last page and saw worthingite's quote posted, assumed they'd been more comments like that - should've read the whole thing
Worthingite
Sexy Pete... :D
Good point, I clicked into the last page and saw worthingite's quote posted, assumed they'd been more comments like that - should've read the whole thing
Perhaps I'm just being mean spirited, and I suppose I wish them well, but the pubs in Brighton either cater for lagered up stag do's or craft beer drinking posers, and I have every suspicion that this will be a continuation of the latter. The idea of a nice normal pub is long gone in Brighton sadly. I think it's eminently possible to have a nice "ale" pub without reverting to 70s stereotypes.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 35,328
either there's been a drastic change since last November or you havent been to the North Laine. or the Lanes. plenty of pubs that arent full of stag do's or succumbed to being a craft beer shop. though they may have bearded, check-shirted, sleave tattoo'd patrons and staff, but i think they've been in Brighton for decades.
Albumen
Don't wait for me!
Exactly, Brighton has a vast range of pubs. There's a handful of give us your money cask ale pubs, a large amount of chain pubs that have their own feel to it, a few weatherspoons, but still plenty of old style pubs.
**** me, we agree on something.
What's the latest on this? Not heard a peep for ages and their website doesn't seem to have any new updates for some months now.
JCL666
absurdism
- Sep 23, 2011
- 2,190
Thanks. Good news
Jesus Gul
Well-known member
- Feb 23, 2004
- 5,475
Update - they are throwing the towel in following immense efforts but ultimately dealing with a **** of a landlord. There's a tweet this morning
http://mailchi.mp/a51b7a5f83b2/an-open-letter?e=b25ad01daa
The Large One
Who's Next?
To Whom it May Concern
It is with great regret that we write to announce the hugely disappointing end to our campaign to open The Bison Arms. When the petition to stop Burger King opening launched on October 21, 2015 (which received 12,000 signatures in 24 hours) we set about to provide a genuine alternative, launching our crowdfunder campaign with Seedrs a little over a month later on November 27.
Through the exceptional will of 401 people we had the means to do so by February 2, 2016 with £150,000 of capital raised. With additional investment arranged through the team behind 64 Degrees and an additional private investor, we presented our compelling offer to the outgoing leaseholder (Whitbread) and the private landlord. In addition to the financial information, we shared details of the strong team supporting the project including architects Yelo and Oliver Heath, quantity surveyors Morgan Carr and head of My Green Pod, Jarvis Smith plus letters of support from residents of the properties above the premises and MP Caroline Lucas. A complex deal was agreed in principal with Heads of Terms drafted by agents Stiles Harold Williams and sent to our solicitors Mayo Wynne Baxter. Words cannot express the thanks we have to everyone that helped us reach this point of agreement.
It felt like a huge achievement, with our focus then directed to tying up the loose ends but what followed was 18 months of solicitor action that we still struggle to understand fully. We have a significant legal bill to show for the work that has been done but cannot explain why the landlord hasn’t allowed the deal to complete. With a refusal to communicate directly with us from the beginning, we may never truly understand his objectives in this nonsensical negotiation merry-go-round.
What is seemingly clear is this: the landlord has his rent being paid by Whitbread until June 2019 and doesn’t really care if the doors are open or closed. Whitbread, to their credit, moved to support us throughout the negotiations by instructing a detailed survey on the dilapidations which were fully costed at £242k and verified by our quantity surveyors Morgan Carr. They also agreed to cover the rent remaining on the lease of £72,000 per annum until 2019. The only risk left for the landlord would be the guarantee of our fit-out works, which after refusing to accept our more than adequate personal security involving residential properties and independent businesses, we reluctantly agreed with him the ring-fencing of a further £80,000 to increase our rent deposit to £100,000. On May 26, 2017 all documents were agreed by all parties with the landlord’s solicitor expected to issue the following engrossments for exchange of contracts: The Lease, Agreement for Lease, Rent Deposit Deed and Licence for Alteration.
The landlord’s solicitor then went on paternity leave for 2 weeks, leaving nobody in charge of the case and no out of office email response to highlight that our pressing communications were not being picked up. When he returned, documents were not issued as hoped, instead his client asking once again for more liability from Whitbread. Whitbread declined, and we supported them – the deal on the table was one that we honestly believe reflected the months of hard work put in to benefit all parties and protect each in kind. We reiterated the fact to the landlord that having a new tenant ready to move in offering such a strong business proposition, coupled with significantly increased rent at £100,000 is a circumstance highly unlikely to repeat itself should the deal be sabotaged once again.
It is our belief that the landlord, despite agreeing to terms on several occasions, never actually wanted to see this deal through. On more than one occasion he revisited agreements reached to push further, ultimately playing this game to breaking point. There is no evidence to say that he has ever set foot inside the building and clearly has no physical connection to the property, aside from the name on the deeds. We had little choice but to set a deadline to officially accept the (agreed) terms by Friday 23rd June and subsequently extended it to Monday 26 June after it became apparent that he wanted Whitbread to declare that they would extend their liability even further. Whitbread responded with an email from their solicitor on Friday confirming their position and we waited another weekend. Monday 5pm came and went without the courtesy of any response to the deadline from the landlord’s side. It was with heavy hearts that we instructed our solicitor to formally withdraw our offer.
We would like to wholeheartedly thank all of those who supported this ambitious project with their time, energy, passion and financial investment. Seedrs will soon return all investor funds and we are relieved that this public finance was safeguarded until such time as the deal was absolute, resisting the opportunity to draw down before a final agreement was reached. The trust and patience of many will never be forgotten, it felt for so long as if we were in touching distance of making this a reality. Our honest belief is that with the skill and dedication of a large number of individuals who offered their services, this project would have surpassed all expectations, and we're hugely frustrated that the erratic behaviour and demands of one individual means this cannot be.
This has been a monumental journey and for all the frustrations and wasted personal time, energy and money, we’ve been fortunate enough to meet some great new people and develop stronger relationships with others. We will now look to the future with lessons learned, ready for a new challenge.
Thanks,
Simon, Jack and Nick
It is with great regret that we write to announce the hugely disappointing end to our campaign to open The Bison Arms. When the petition to stop Burger King opening launched on October 21, 2015 (which received 12,000 signatures in 24 hours) we set about to provide a genuine alternative, launching our crowdfunder campaign with Seedrs a little over a month later on November 27.
Through the exceptional will of 401 people we had the means to do so by February 2, 2016 with £150,000 of capital raised. With additional investment arranged through the team behind 64 Degrees and an additional private investor, we presented our compelling offer to the outgoing leaseholder (Whitbread) and the private landlord. In addition to the financial information, we shared details of the strong team supporting the project including architects Yelo and Oliver Heath, quantity surveyors Morgan Carr and head of My Green Pod, Jarvis Smith plus letters of support from residents of the properties above the premises and MP Caroline Lucas. A complex deal was agreed in principal with Heads of Terms drafted by agents Stiles Harold Williams and sent to our solicitors Mayo Wynne Baxter. Words cannot express the thanks we have to everyone that helped us reach this point of agreement.
It felt like a huge achievement, with our focus then directed to tying up the loose ends but what followed was 18 months of solicitor action that we still struggle to understand fully. We have a significant legal bill to show for the work that has been done but cannot explain why the landlord hasn’t allowed the deal to complete. With a refusal to communicate directly with us from the beginning, we may never truly understand his objectives in this nonsensical negotiation merry-go-round.
What is seemingly clear is this: the landlord has his rent being paid by Whitbread until June 2019 and doesn’t really care if the doors are open or closed. Whitbread, to their credit, moved to support us throughout the negotiations by instructing a detailed survey on the dilapidations which were fully costed at £242k and verified by our quantity surveyors Morgan Carr. They also agreed to cover the rent remaining on the lease of £72,000 per annum until 2019. The only risk left for the landlord would be the guarantee of our fit-out works, which after refusing to accept our more than adequate personal security involving residential properties and independent businesses, we reluctantly agreed with him the ring-fencing of a further £80,000 to increase our rent deposit to £100,000. On May 26, 2017 all documents were agreed by all parties with the landlord’s solicitor expected to issue the following engrossments for exchange of contracts: The Lease, Agreement for Lease, Rent Deposit Deed and Licence for Alteration.
The landlord’s solicitor then went on paternity leave for 2 weeks, leaving nobody in charge of the case and no out of office email response to highlight that our pressing communications were not being picked up. When he returned, documents were not issued as hoped, instead his client asking once again for more liability from Whitbread. Whitbread declined, and we supported them – the deal on the table was one that we honestly believe reflected the months of hard work put in to benefit all parties and protect each in kind. We reiterated the fact to the landlord that having a new tenant ready to move in offering such a strong business proposition, coupled with significantly increased rent at £100,000 is a circumstance highly unlikely to repeat itself should the deal be sabotaged once again.
It is our belief that the landlord, despite agreeing to terms on several occasions, never actually wanted to see this deal through. On more than one occasion he revisited agreements reached to push further, ultimately playing this game to breaking point. There is no evidence to say that he has ever set foot inside the building and clearly has no physical connection to the property, aside from the name on the deeds. We had little choice but to set a deadline to officially accept the (agreed) terms by Friday 23rd June and subsequently extended it to Monday 26 June after it became apparent that he wanted Whitbread to declare that they would extend their liability even further. Whitbread responded with an email from their solicitor on Friday confirming their position and we waited another weekend. Monday 5pm came and went without the courtesy of any response to the deadline from the landlord’s side. It was with heavy hearts that we instructed our solicitor to formally withdraw our offer.
We would like to wholeheartedly thank all of those who supported this ambitious project with their time, energy, passion and financial investment. Seedrs will soon return all investor funds and we are relieved that this public finance was safeguarded until such time as the deal was absolute, resisting the opportunity to draw down before a final agreement was reached. The trust and patience of many will never be forgotten, it felt for so long as if we were in touching distance of making this a reality. Our honest belief is that with the skill and dedication of a large number of individuals who offered their services, this project would have surpassed all expectations, and we're hugely frustrated that the erratic behaviour and demands of one individual means this cannot be.
This has been a monumental journey and for all the frustrations and wasted personal time, energy and money, we’ve been fortunate enough to meet some great new people and develop stronger relationships with others. We will now look to the future with lessons learned, ready for a new challenge.
Thanks,
Simon, Jack and Nick
Shame. A real shame.
Pevenseagull
Anti-greed coalition
- Jul 20, 2003
- 19,657
Edit: covered above.
Shame.
Shame.
Thanks. It's a real shame but it seems the landlord was a knob so better to back out. I hope it doesn't put people off this cooperative and local approach in the future.
MattBackHome
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 11,732
Terrible news.
Why did the landlord go through with the charade of selling to Bison then? I'm not disputing this...just don't fully understand why the landlord would do this.
The Large One
Who's Next?
By the looks of things, he was holding out for a better (though less probable) deal, irrespective of what the various professional parties said.
I'm guessing that, seeing as this enterprise didn't have the backing of a national chain, he wanted more securities. That, or he's a total bell-end.