The prominent building at 2–3 Pavilion Buildings, right in the heart of Brighton, has long been a familiar stop for drinkers and diners. Over the years it hosted several well-known brands, most notably operating as an All Bar One, becoming a busy, corporate-style bar serving cocktails, meals and after-work crowds just a stone’s throw from the Pavilion Gardens and North Laine.
Its story took a dramatic turn in 2020, when a serious fire caused extensive internal damage while the venue was closed during the COVID-19 lockdowns. After significant refurbishment the bar reopened, but its future as a chain venue was short-lived. By late 2024, All Bar One vacated the site when the lease came to an end, leaving the large, city-centre space empty and awaiting a new purpose.
Rather than being taken on by another high-street operator, the building was given a completely different future. In 2025, it was taken over by Brighton charity Team Domenica, an organisation dedicated to supporting young people with learning disabilities and autism into training and paid employment. Their vision was bold: to transform the former bar into a social-enterprise pub and café, with upper floors converted into a specialist training and employment hub.
That vision became reality on 19 November 2025, when the doors opened as The North Star.
Unlike its predecessor, The North Star is driven by a social mission rather than corporate profit. The venue operates as a fully functioning pub, serving food and drinks to the public, but with a unique twist: many of the staff are trainees and employees with learning disabilities and autism, working alongside experienced mentors who support them on the path to independence and long-term employment. Every pint poured or plate served helps fund training programmes and support services that continue beyond the walls of the building.
The transformation has reshaped not only the venue but also its role in the community. What was once a standard high-street bar has become a place where hospitality meets purpose — a demonstration of how inclusive workplaces can thrive while offering top-quality service. Menus focus on approachable pub classics, including crowd-pleasing roasts and dishes catering to vegetarian and vegan diners, while the refurbished space remains welcoming, accessible and modern.
The venue’s name, The North Star, reflects its guiding aim: to offer direction, confidence and opportunity to people who often face barriers to entering the world of work. For Brighton, a city with a strong reputation for creativity and inclusivity, the building’s reinvention fits perfectly — symbolising a shift from corporate uniformity to community-focused enterprise.
Today, visitors stepping through the doors might recognise the building’s exterior from its All Bar One days, but inside they’ll find something entirely new: a pub that not only offers food, drinks and a friendly atmosphere, but also plays a direct role in changing lives — proving that hospitality can be about much more than just a night out.
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