THE LANDLADY of a historic pub which has now been sold for development said she “tried everything” to make her dream a success.

Charlotte Copping handed the keys over for the final time on Friday after spending years battling to stop her 1930s boozer from becoming housing.

Charlotte and her family carried out £100,000 of work on the Seven Sisters in Alfriston Road, Seaford, and even tried to get it recognised as a listed building.

She says she "never made a penny" and had to work more than 50 hours a week in a care home to help support herself.

But the 32-year-old says she is now “worn down” from putting her heart and soul into the building.

She has decided she cannot continue after running the pub during the first Covid lockdown seriously affected her mental health.

Charlotte told The Argus: “When we took over, there was a hell of a lot of work that needed doing.

The Argus: Charlotte, middle, with her last set of staff Charlotte, middle, with her last set of staff

 

"All the roofs leaked, the entire top floor needed redoing because it was unlivable.

“We have never made a penny because we were always trying to keep the pub going, keep the building together, keep the roof from falling in.

"This pub has got potential, it could have been amazing.”

Charlotte and her family took the pub over in 2014.

She said that over the next seven years they repaired the leaky roof, removed asbestos, fixed the heating as well as painting and decorating out of their own pocket because of their full repairing lease.

However, the pub was included in the Seaford neighbourhood plan in 2016 which set out to build a minimum of 554 houses in the town between 2010 and 2030.

Charlotte said: “I went to numerous council meetings to try and get it removed from the plan, I tried to get the pub protected and listed as a historic building.

The Argus: The land the pub is on was put up for sale for £900,000The land the pub is on was put up for sale for £900,000

“The problem for us going into the neighbourhood plan, as soon as people in Seaford got wind of that, they would come in and say ‘oh I hear you’re being closed down’ so people weren’t booking functions in advance because they were worried we would do a runner with their money.

“From then I knew we weren’t going to last.”

Charlotte’s parents, Sandra and Steve Copping, were also a part of the business.

They say it has been a “massive battle” to try and save the pub.

The Argus: The pub was originally built in the 1930s to serve the proposed Seaford northern bypass, which was never builtThe pub was originally built in the 1930s to serve the proposed Seaford northern bypass, which was never built

Sandra said: “Unfortunately Charlotte’s dream has had to end because we’re sick and tired of supporting a sinking ship, there is only so much you can do and take.

"It’s a shame if it gets knocked down because it’s a beautiful building.”

The land the pub is on was put up for sale by Savills estate agents for £900,000 to fit nine properties. It was sold before Christmas.

A spokeswoman for Stonegate Brewery said: “The Seven Sisters was previously let on a fully repairing lease for which the tenants hold responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the building as clearly defined in their contract. 

"Throughout the pandemic, the Seven Sisters, along with all our other lease and tenanted businesses, were supported with rent suspension/reduced rent; trade credits and, where applicable,  continuing financial assistance as in the case of the Seven Sisters. 

"The pub has now been sold and as a result the outgoing tenants were not required to make good the significant dilapidations on the property.”

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