A landlady has described the moment a van collided with the wall of their village pub as resembling ‘an earthquake’

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Drixi and Jazz Benjamin, landlords of Offham’s 18th century pub and B&B The Blacksmith’s Arms, heard ‘a massive crash’ when the accident occurred on Saturday (11 May) at about 10.35pm.

Drixi said: “I was behind the bar finishing off for the evening, luckily our last customers were sitting out the back. Suddenly I heard a massive crash, even the floor was shaking, it was like an earthquake, there was glass flying everywhere, smashing into the pub.

"Jazz and I ran outside, I checked the driver, he was fortunately unhurt. We went outside with torches to warn the traffic and slow it down but the cars were still driving past us like lunatics. One driver even tried to overtake the cars slowing down! It was lucky no one was standing out the front smoking or that no one was walking past.”

Sussex Police ^[2] confirmed a Ford Transit van collided with the Blacksmiths Arms pub on the A275, Offham, at about 10.35pm on Saturday 11 May.

Green Party Councillors Lucy Agace and Joa Saunders with Jazz Benjamin, Landlord of the Blacksmith Arms, Offham

Photos sent to Sussex World showed the emergency services at the scene, as well as the extensive damage done to both the van and the pub’s front porch.

The incident has reignited a larger discussion about speed limits on country roads.

Green Party Councillors ^[3] are urging East Sussex County Council (ESCC) to listen to residents and local businesses and take action to slow down traffic on our roads.

Cllr Lucy Agace said: “The County Council is out of step with what local people want. We are urging local residents to sign the petition for 20 mph in residential areas to slow cars down. Let’s get enough people to get their voices heard so they have to take notice of us.”

A landlady has described the moment a van collided with the wall of their village pub as resembling 'an earthquake'. Image: Eddie Mitchell

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “Sussex Police has recorded one collision resulting in injury on the stretch of road directly outside the Blacksmiths Arms in the last three year period. The bends just to the north of this section of the A275 have been identified as a site for a potential Local Safety Scheme due to the number of collisions that Sussex Police have recorded there. We will be looking at appropriate road safety interventions on the approaches to and through the bends, which will include the stretch of road in front of the Blacksmiths Arms.

“We have a finite amount of funding to develop local road safety and transport improvements and need to ensure that we target our resources to those schemes which will be of greatest benefit to our local communities. Current local and national evidence indicates that introducing 20mph speed limits on all residential roads would not make best use of our resources, and that targeted interventions are more effective.”

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said the driver of the van was arrested and charged with drink-driving: “Police were called after a Ford Transit van collided with the Blacksmiths Arms pub on the A275, Offham, about 10.35pm on Saturday 11 May.

“Officers attended and the driver - Liam Torbett, 37, of Southdown Road, Newhaven - was arrested and charged with drink-driving.

“He has been released on conditional bail to appear before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 30 May. A structural engineer has been called to assess the damage to the building.”

References

^{^} Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
^{^} Sussex Police (www.sussexexpress.co.uk)
^{^} Councillors (www.sussexexpress.co.uk)