Celebrating the Real Ale Scene in Sussex Sussex Drinker Winter 2016 Free 4th CAMRA Spring Equinox Festival Horsham Drill Hall, 24-25 February 2017 PUBLISHED AND FINANCED BY THE SUSSEX BRANCHES OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE 2 Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 Spring Equinox Beer Festival 4th CAMRA Spring Equinox Festival Spring Equinox Horsham Drill Hall, 24-25 February 2017 Beer Festival Tickets for the Friday 6-10pm session are £7, Saturday 12-4pm session £6 and Saturday 6-10pm £5, which will include a souvenir glass, plus a free pint for card-carrying CAMRA members. Hot and cold baguettes and snacks will be available at all sessions. Tickets are available from Beer Essentials, the Malt Shovel and the Anchor Tap in Horsham, and from Dark Star in Partridge Green. Postal applications (cheques payable to CAMRA North Sussex) to The Treasurer, 19 Felbridge Avenue, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 7BD. For more info, including a beer list in due course, contact [email protected], or www. northsussex.camra.org.uk, or facebook @ northsussexcamrabranch, or twitter @ camraequinox. We are delighted to announce that the 2017 CAMRA North Sussex Equinox Beer & Cider Festival will start with a Friday evening session, followed by two Saturday sessions. The venue remains the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham town centre, RH12 1JF, which is about 15 to 20 minutes’ walk from the railway An ever changing range station, maybe less from the bus station. The of five cask conditioned Five Bells ales that always includes Smock Alley beer list will have over 50 beers, with a one mild, one session balanced mix of winter and spring ales bitter, two best bitters West Chiltington available. All of our excellent branch brewers and one strong bitter. West Sussex Plus one changing craft will be featured, plus other local favourites and RH20 2QX some gems from further afield. Those who like keg beer, Hacker Pschorr genuine Munich lager, 01798 812143 cider and perry will also find a strong selection and Westons Old Rosie of both available. Live music will feature at the Cider on gravity. Saturday evening session only, with an Homemade traditional Arun & Adur excellent local act booked. food, plus 5 en suite CAMRA bedrooms. Country A £1 donation will be made by the Branch to a All of this in a very Pub of the local charity for any returned souvenir glasses, traditional pub! Year 2016 along with the value of any donated surplus www.thefivebellsinn.com tokens. Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 3 WILKES HEAD Church Lane, Eastergate, West Sussex, PO20 3UT Tel: 01243 543380 www.wilkesheadeastergate.co.uk Historic 17th century Inn 20 minute walk (1.3 miles) from Barnham mainline station 10% Discount Six Ales always on tap In the Good Beer Guide Xmas Party Cask Marque Approved Secluded beer garden Menu with this advert Open Every Day All Day. Food 12-2.30, 6.30-8.30. Sussex CAMRA Pub of the Year 2014 4 Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 Contributors: Peter Adams, Paul Bangs, Allan Bartram, David Cowley, Kris Cymer, Stuart Elms, Peter Harrison, Pat Higgins, Robin Hill, Keith Milborrow, Peter Mitchell, Peter Page Mitchell, Steve Layfield, Max Malkin, Steve Obey, Guy Parfect, Jason Philips, Ian Robertson, Paul Sanders, Michael Schouten, David Seall, Peter Spooner, Nigel Watson, and Jack Wilkinson. News of new developments and updates on the village local with a fascinating collection of Sussex pub scene will be gratefully received by local memorabilia and pictures on display the Editor for consideration in Scratchings. The inside, plus a range of military artefacts added standard disclaimer on p. 46 applies to all by Joe. The unusual bar game of Ring the Bull items. can still be played in the main (right-hand) bar. ■ BARNHAM ■ BELLS YEW GREEN Work finally started in August to convert the Harvey’s tied former Barnham Bridge Inn to a Tesco house, the Express store. Built in 1906 opposite the station Brecknock entrance to serve the large cattle market that Arms, sells stood nearby, the pub closed in 2010 and was IPA and a boarded up, becoming increasingly derelict as seasonal years went by. After sale to Tesco the interior offering. It’s was quickly stripped out but then all work well worth a visit for it’s well kept beers. The pub is just a short walk from Frant Station. ■ BEXHILL ON SEA Bexhill residents have been stopped for nearly 2 years. The loss of the wondering if Barnham Bridge Inn left Barnham residents they will ever with only one pub - the Murrell Arms (see see a gleaming below), although pretty soon of course they will new have 3 supermarkets! Wetherspoon’s The Murrell Arms on Yapton Road has been pub, but now, 18 months after being granted awarded Fuller’s Master Cellarman status in planning consent, there’s some signs work has recognition of started at the former Picture Playhouse Cinema high standards in Western Road. However, local press reports of indicate that it won’t be opening in 2016. cellarmanship ■ BOGNOR REGIS and bar The Belle Vue Hotel is under new ownership management. and renamed the Pier Hotel Bar & Diner. The Real Ales on unused hand pumps have been ripped out. sale are London Pride, HSB and a changing Fuller’s seasonal beer. The Alex has re-opened after refurbishment and has had a fourth hand pump installed. However, Customers of the Murrell are delighted that until trade picks up they are only using two of both Fuller’s and landlord Joe Murphy have them, which when visited were dispensing resisted any temptation to change the pub Sharps Doom Bar and Bath Gem. significantly and it remains a traditional 2-bar Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 5 Come along to The The Spotted Cow Spotted Cow at 1 High Street Angmering to savour a Angmering Real country Pub with West Sussex Home cooked Fresh BN16 4AW Food. 01903 783919 We have been awarded Open: a Finest Cask Marque Mon-Thu 11-3, 5.30-11 for our Real Ales, Fri-Sat 11-11 usually 6 on tap to Sun 12-10.30 enjoy. Meals: Mon-Sat 12-2, 6.30-9 In 2014 we are the Sun 12-3, 6.30-8.30 proud winners of The thespottedcowangmering Pub of the Year, South & South East in Bloom. www.spottedcowangmering.co.uk 6 Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued ■ BOLNEY the third handpump has a changing guest. Three The Eight Bells has been sold and a new Legs, Old Dairy and Weltons have all featured. licensee will move in during October. ■ CHICHESTER ■ BRIGHTON The Four Chesnuts, formerly in the Good Beer The Aquarium, Steine Street, Brighton is now Guide, has had a more up and down recent called the Plotting Parlour serving coffee and history, and closed in August following the cake in the afternoons before switching to departure of the tenant. The pub is controlled by cocktails in the evening. Punch Taverns and they are currently advertising the tenancy – misspelled as “Four The Brighton Rocks, a cocktail bar, in Rock Chestnuts” - on their website at £6,350 Place, has a lease available for £125,000. ‘Ingoing’ plus rent of £24,000. It is not known if The Crown & Anchor, Preston Road, Brighton and when it may reopen. The Chesnuts has been has six pumps permanently dispensing three the long-standing home of the Chichester Folk Long Man beers and three varying guests such Song club, who have now moved to the as Arundel and Langham. Chichester Inn. The Hikers Rest, Coldean Lane has closed and The Chantry is the new name of the re- will reputedly become a restaurant. Although furbished former Slug and Lettuce in South saved from closure in 2015; having been sold Street. The pub now has four handpumps and by Punch to its previous tenants this change has on visiting was selling Sharps Doom Bar and happened under the Permitted Development Ringwood Razorback with LocAle guests Dark regulations amendment. Star Original and Langham Halfway to Heaven. It also has craft keg beers from Brew Dog and A change of use under Permitted Development Camden Brewery. has also been used at the former Dyke Pub & ■ CRAWLEY Kitchen (see separate article on page 35). With The , Northgate, has closed again, the Dyke failing as a food-led pub in an area of Black Dog and Enterprise Inns are seeking a new licensee. Brighton close to Hove it remains to be seen if a restaurant will be a success in this area. The Brewery Shades has been voted North Sussex Cider Pub of the Year The Monty, formerly the Montpelier, Montpelier Place, has the lease available for The Half Moon, Southgate is temporarily £55,000. closed whilst it is being changed into a Greene King managed house. The Norfolk, Western Road, Brighton is now renamed the Revelator – a Southern USA The White Hart said goodbye to licensees themed bar. Stuart and Angie, and it is now a Harvey’s ■ CAMBER managed house. The Owl (formerly the Green Owl) has ■ COWFOLD increased its beer offering and is concentrating The Hare & Hounds has now been let out. An on local brews. Long Man Best Bitter is a enthusiastic young couple have taken on the regular, and a changing seasonal beer comes pub. from the nearby Romney Marsh Brewery, while Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 7 THE INGLENOOK HOTEL 255 Pagham Road, Pagham, West Sussex, PO21 3QB Tel: 01243 262495 email: [email protected] • 16th century Grade II listed hotel, owned and run by the Honour family for over 40 years • Stagecoach bus No. 60 stops outside and runs every 15 mins from Bognor Regis or Chichester In the 2017 Good Beer Guide • Five ales always on tap • Bar Snacks • Large, secluded beer garden • Acclaimed restaurant specialising in local line-caught fish, Selsey crab and lobsters, plus seasonal menu and homemade specials • Comfortable, en suite accommodation • • Private Functions • Wi Fi Western Sussex CAMRA Pub of the Year 2015 & 2016 Superb ales from local and regional brewers, including Dark Star, Magic Rock, Downlands, Siren, Oakleaf, Thornbridge, Marble, Ilkley, Oakham and many more 8 Sussex Drinker: Winter 2016 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued ■ DURRINGTON ■ EAST PRESTON The North Star, a busy food led Ember Inn, The Clockhouse Bar is a welcoming free house returns to the 2017 Good Beer Guide still at the sea end of the village and is a new entry to offering a good selection of ales from the the 2017 Good Beer Guide.