From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Louis Walker, 20 December 2025.

Historic Les Fleurs pub in Dover to close after more than 150 years as hostel bid approved.

A “struggling” town centre pub will stop pulling pints after more than 150 years as the landlord says the business is no longer financially viable.

Dover District Council (DDC) has approved plans to expand an existing hostel into the ground-floor bar area of Les Fleurs in Ladywell.

Jeff Flowers says the pub has “struggled for years” despite significant investment.

The move will spell the end of the drinking establishment, which was originally named the Sir John Falstaff and is believed to date back as far as 1869.

Owner Jeff Flowers – who took over the building in 2012 and gave the pub its current name – says it has “struggled for years” despite significant investment.

According to documents lodged with DDC, Mr Flowers carried out major renovations, including refurbishing the bar and converting a little-used first-floor restaurant into the existing hostel and bed-and-breakfast accommodation in 2017.

That part of the business has since proved more profitable than the pub itself, with rooms regularly occupied by travellers, backpackers and ferry passengers.

Mr Flowers said the ground-floor pub, which currently only opens on Fridays and Saturdays, is no longer commercially viable.

“Like many pubs throughout the country, Les Fleurs has been affected by dramatically increased supply costs, rising energy bills and a fall in customers choosing instead to drink at home,” he said in planning documents.

“I’ve worked hard for years to attract more trade, offering live music and joining the darts league, but it’s simply not viable anymore.”

Plans have been approved to change the ground floor of Les Fleurs from a drinking establishment into guest accommodation.

The existing first-floor hostel has space for up to 12 people and, according to Mr Flowers, has had a “positive knock-on effect” for nearby businesses.

The new proposal would see the bar area partitioned off and the rest of the ground floor reconfigured to provide further accommodation for up to eight guests in one open-plan space.

Planning documents state the bar itself would not be removed but left “frozen” behind a stud wall, meaning it could be reinstated in future if a new operator wished to reopen it.

Mr Flowers lives on the top floor of the building and says the change would allow him to remain on site.

In total, two comments for and one opposing were lodged with DDC.

Resident James Benjafield raised concerns over the loss of heritage by allowing the scheme to move forward.

“I strongly object to the proposed change of use of the ground floor of this historic public house into hostel accommodation,” he stated.

“This building is a rare and beautiful example of 19th-century architecture, and its pub interior is a vital part of Dover’s cultural and social heritage.

Les Fleurs, in Ladywell, Dover, already offers hostel accommodation on its first floor.

“The proposal threatens to erase this legacy entirely.

“Dover benefits from its historic charm. Destroying one of its few remaining Victorian pubs for low-cost accommodation undermines the town’s appeal.”

All proposed alterations would be internal only, with no changes to the exterior of the building.

Despite its history, Les Fleurs is not a listed building - despite the best efforts of Mr Flowers - and is not within a conservation area.

The Dover Society added its support for the plans.

They commented: “We note the first floor is operating as a hostel with the owner living at the property. We are confident it is well managed and will continue to be so.

“Whilst it is sad to see the demise of yet another pub, this simply reflects the reality of a more general decline of town centres and pubs in particular.

“Overall, we see no problem with extending the hostel.”

Planning documents submitted on behalf of the applicant by Cason Green Associates also demonstrated how four pubs remain within a six-minute walk of the site.

It is proposed that the hostel would accept new guests up until 11pm each evening, with check-out by 11am the following day.

Mr Flowers confirmed the changes would not result in extra staff, as he currently runs the business single-handedly.

The applicants have been contacted for comment.