The Bevy crowdfunding appeal is seeking £100,000 towards buying the Brighton community pub’s building at 50 Hillside, BN2 4TF. Checked on 14 October 2026, the active campaign forms part of a larger £600,000 funding plan; reaching the public appeal target would not, on its own, complete the purchase.
Last updated: 14 October 2026, 04:00 BST. The campaign, ownership explanation and supporter information were checked for this report.
Archive: The Bevy, Hillside, Brighton, 12 August 2017. Photo: Hassocks5489 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0. WordPress supplies resized versions.
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In short: The Bevy crowdfunding
- The community owns the pub business, but not the premises.
- The £500,000 proposed purchase covers the pub and three flats; the organisers’ overall package is £600,000.
- The public appeal ends on 1 January 2027; the stated purchase deadline is 1 October 2027.
- Donating is not the same as investing or arranging a loan.
What the campaign is seeking
The campaign page says landlord East Brighton Trust has given the group until 1 October 2027 to purchase the pub and three flats above it for £500,000. Organisers are seeking £600,000 overall to include improvements and associated costs, combining donations with grants, borrowing and investment.
The £100,000 crowdfunding target is therefore one part of the funding package, not the whole purchase price. The page describes a keep-what-you-raise campaign ending on 1 January 2027. That fundraising deadline is separate from the building-purchase deadline.
Why this matters locally
The pub’s own website explains the distinction: the community owns the pub business, but not the premises. Its activities include Family Thursday, Seniors Club, a dementia-friendly café and Disability Disco, alongside ordinary pub use.
The University of Brighton’s Brains at the Bevy page independently identifies the pub as a community-talk venue. That wider use helps explain why premises ownership is a local community question, not simply a change in who holds a commercial property. We have not assumed that a new talk is currently bookable.
What supporters should ask before committing money
The pub’s purchase FAQ says the additional £100,000 in the overall package is intended for essential repairs and maintenance, tax and professional fees. That is a different sum from the crowdfunding target, even though both are £100,000. The campaign is one source of money towards the whole package, rather than a separate bill every donor has to meet.
The FAQ says donations would be returned under the organisation’s rules if the purchase could not be completed. This should not be read as an independently verified promise of automatic refunds on any terms. Before donating, ask how that rule operates, what timetable would apply and whether any deductions or conditions are involved. The crowdfunding page’s keep-what-you-raise arrangement and the pub’s account of a failed-purchase refund address different stages of the process.
Organisers also acknowledge that borrowing would create a repayment commitment. Replacing rent with mortgage payments could change where expenditure goes, but building ownership would still carry maintenance responsibilities. A complete funding plan needs to show how recurring commitments are affordable, not only how the purchase price can be assembled.
The FAQ says there are no plans to change the flats and that tenants will be kept involved. This is the pub’s stated intention, not a separate guarantee established by Brighton Locals. For supporters, the next useful documents would be the detailed financing terms and a clear explanation of ongoing building costs.
Brighton Locals’ view
Our assessment is that the important question is how the whole purchase will be financed. A successful first appeal could reduce the borrowing needed, but reaching £100,000 would not by itself complete the purchase. Readers should judge progress against the overall package and published updates.
How to find out more
Readers can examine the campaign terms before deciding whether to donate. The official contact page lists contact@thebevy.co.uk for general enquiries, activities@thebevy.co.uk for volunteering and secretary@thebevy.co.uk for the investment prospectus. Donations and investments are different commitments; prospective investors should request the documentation rather than assume donation terms apply.
What to watch next
Watch for progress on grants, loans and investment as well as public donations. Organisers’ description of the business as profitable is their account, not an independently audited finding by Brighton Locals. Published borrowing terms, a repair budget and confirmation of the balance of funding would provide firmer evidence of whether the purchase is deliverable.
Bottom line
The Bevy is trying to secure its premises, not just finance another year of pub trading. The practical test is a workable £600,000 package and clear supporter terms, rather than treating the first £100,000 milestone as the finish line.
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