Hove Gin Tub’s Worthing licensing bid

The Gin Tub plans to open at 10 High Street – an old church building that was converted into a public house more than 30 years ago.

In May, the venue was acquired by Saints & Sinners Bar & Club Limited which will eventually share the venue with the Gin Tub.

The Gin Tub will take over the smaller unit that used to be the craft alehouse.

Although the venue is already licensed, Gin Tub is applying for its own separate licence.

It is seeking permission to open and serve alcohol between 11am and 1am Mondays to Wednesdays, and 11am to 2am Thursdays to Sundays, and play live music between 6pm and 11pm, seven days a week.

The Gin Tub in Hove, Google

Sussex Police and Worthing Pubwatch previously objected to the licence but have since removed their objections after agreeing a number of conditions with the venue.

But because five members of the public objected, the request had to be considered by the council’s licensing sub-committee.

The Gin Tub’s Hove venue had its licence revoked in 2019 after cocaine was found in the toilets.

The licence has since been reinstated on appeal but one Worthing resident, Danya Gromski, said this concerned her.

“Previously, the Gin Tub was subjected to its licence being revoked and I understand that has now been resolved and it is under new management,” she said.

“But for me that does set a worrying precedent in terms of the proposal for opening a second premises in Worthing, located so close to a residential area.

“The area behind the premises which I live in, with the exception of a few guest houses, is residential and it’s a designated conservation area.

“It’s quiet and there is a sense of enclosure so a late night premises such as the proposed Gin Tub bar – which is open seven nights a week until the early hours of the morning – is disruptive in terms of both noise and the potential increase in antisocial behaviour due to late night drinking.”

Gin Tub director Francesca Green, who would be the designated premises supervisor (DPS ) at the Worthing venue, reassured Ms Gromski that the business ‘had changed’.

“After previously losing our licence, everything has changed since then,” she said.

“We have really good training and we have a really well-trained team that we’ll bring with us to Worthing.”

Stephen Guille, director of Brighton Bars Limited said:  “We’re a high-end cocktail bar, we do play music but it’s not loud music – it’s not Ten music.

“We have had our problems in the past but never with antisocial behaviour or noise.

“Our demographic is 30-somethings – certainly not youngsters.

“I think we’re going to improve the area as opposed to be detrimental to the area.”

Mr Guille also explained that professional door staff would be employed at the new venue.

A licensing decision will be published on the council’s website within five working days.

If The Gin Tub opens in Worthing, it will become one of a number of Brighton and Hove based food and drink establishments which have expanded into the town and Mr Guille predicts that this ‘exodus’ will continue.

“I think there’s going to be an exodus from Brighton to Worthing,” he said.

“Worthing is a very up-and-coming town and it does need what Brighton can offer.

“So we’re going to bring our expertise and, I think, attract other businesses to come with us.”