Brighton & Hove City Council has been ordered to pay more than £11,000 in legal costs after abandoning its prosecution against the owner of the Montreal Arms in one of the city’s most high-profile planning disputes. The case centred on the removal of the historic green glazed tiles from the front of the Montreal Arms on Albion Hill, Hanover, in 2022 – a move that prompted widespread criticism from residents and heritage campaigners.
Prosecution abandoned
The council had prosecuted pub owner Charlie Southall for allegedly failing to comply with an enforcement notice requiring the distinctive ceramic tiles to be reinstated. However, the prosecution was later discontinued after questions were raised over whether the work could safely be carried out while the building required significant structural repairs. Following the collapse of the case, Lewes Crown Court ordered Brighton & Hove City Council to pay Southall’s legal costs, totalling approximately £11,000.
Arguments over structural repairs
During the costs hearing, Southall argued the council had acted unreasonably by continuing with the prosecution despite advice indicating that the tiled frontage may have needed to be removed to allow essential structural repairs to take place safely. He also alleged that the decision to pursue the prosecution had been influenced by political pressure. Brighton & Hove City Council rejected those claims, maintaining it had acted appropriately throughout the legal process and that the prosecution had met the required legal threshold before it was later discontinued.
Heritage dispute
The Montreal Arms has been at the centre of planning and legal disputes since the removal of its distinctive green glazed frontage without planning permission. The building is recognised as a locally listed heritage asset, with the ceramic tile façade regarded as an important feature of its historic character. The council has previously approved plans to restore the building as part of a wider redevelopment, although the long-term future of the historic pub remains uncertain. The award of legal costs brings the criminal proceedings to a close but marks the latest chapter in one of Brighton’s most closely watched planning disputes in recent years.
