A PUB landlord is so opposed to plans to move the Albion to his home village of Falmer that he is refusing to serve regulars who disagree with him.

John Woodruff has told drinkers they are not welcome at the Swan Inn unless they sign a petition objecting to plans to build the Albion's new ground in the village.

Four people who have been visiting the pub every week for the past eight years were refused a drink after saying they wanted the team to have a permanent home in the village.

Steve Daniel, 39, said: "We went down for a pint after playing a game of squash and one of my friends who we were supposed to meet was standing outside.

"He had refused to sign the petition and they wouldn't serve him.

"When we got in the landlord was standing behind the bar and he said 'Will you sign the petition?'

"When we said 'no' he said he wouldn't serve us. We tried to laugh it off and make a joke with him but he wasn't having any of it."

Mr Daniel, of Vernon Avenue, Woodingdean, Brighton, added: "I said 'Do you really think the petition will make any difference?' and he said 'I don't care, I'm doing this for the people of Falmer.'

"It was astonishing, especially since we are all middle-aged and are hardly troublemakers or lager louts."

Mr Woodruff said: "We have got the petitions going in a big way and have got 700 signatures.

"It's not that we don't want a football stadium - we just don't want it here."

He refused to comment on the four men who were not served but added: "Landlords can refuse to serve anybody without a reason at all."

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