Worst Boozer in Sussex

[spring hall convert]

That's a bit like saying Burger King is rubbish because they don't sell Big Macs!

It must have been deliberately ironic. No one is that stupid

 

[wigman]

I think it may have been the Tyroler...but I wasn't in the mood for pulling up the orignal poster on their spelling! It was the one in the Guildbourne Centre, last time I was in there must have been the early to mid-90's, so haven't a clue whether it still exists.

It closed down years ago,it used to be a magnet for under aged drinkers.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No no no no no no no, the Livvy Arms was fantastic and much missed.

Yes indeedy!

Ol' Jim the landlord never ever left there. Expect for that one time. In a box.

Walls held together with nicotine and the smelliest old Friary Mieueieuixuiex in the world. Oh, and an outdoors loo. But a decent jukebox, some good people, and the tabletop Galaxian was the only video game I ever managed to finish all the levels

 

[Nibble]

Certainly not a dive but for the staff alone The Open House by Lnd Rd Station is one of the worst pubs. They never take notice of serving order, the blokes opt to serve the good looking girls first and the girls will serve good looking blokes first (that's me screwed). I have been in there waiting for service, being the only person at the bar and had to wait while the barman finished his mobile phone conversation that clearly had nothing to do with work, didn't even acknowledge my presence.
They just preen themselves behind the bar until deem fit to serve you.
I used to live across the tracks from there,I was in there one sat afternoon, having a pint and reading the paper, ther bar was fairly busy, not rammed but no seating left. I was at a table on my own. I went to toilet and when I came back a girl was sat at my table. It was pretty obvious someone was sat there as my paper was spread out on table, a pint next to it, my bag and coat on the back of the chair. I sat down and she ignored me, I said hello and she looked at me like I was a piece of shit. I said I was sitting here and she got up without a word and joined her boyfriend at the bar. About ten mins later they were leaving and they leant over my table and gave me a mouthful about them not being able to eat now and I should have given up my table. I didn't know what she was talking about as she had siad nothing. I told them to so, no swearing I just looked a bit bemused and they went and got a barman who started saying I was causing trouble and had to leave.
You ever had one of those moments where you can't really find words but yuo just think "what the f*** is going on here?"
A bit of a fuss ensued and I ended up having to go.
Now, like I say that is nothing compared to what happens in the more seedy pubs in Sussex, no real trouble and no-one getting hurt or even aggressive, but it serves to illustrate what a bunch of clueless fuckwits the barstaff are and what a bunch of rude, arrogant fuckers most of the clientele are. Hmmph!

 

[sam86]

Either The Whistlestop in Portslade.

The Whistle has an awful atmosphere and I have never felt safe in there.

That's like the 4th nomination for my local. I am gobsmacked.
When was the last time you went?

 

[Nibble]

Double post

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Ah ha! I knew the Burrell would get a mention at some point.It's never been up its own arse-what you see is what you get.There's some decent people who i went to school with in there.

It's a pub that relies on a lot of passing trade so strangers aren't given a death stare when they walk in.Always worth a couple of pints if you've just stepped off the train.It does feel like a London boozer though.

The only time I ever 'enjoyed' going to the Burrell was in the days before all-day opening, when for some reason Tuesday was designated Market Day (despite any obvious signs of any kind of market) and the Burrell was given special dispensation to open all afternoon. Needless to say on a Tuesday we used to crawl back to work from lunch about fiveish, have a cup of coffee and go home

 

[sam86]

never been in The Whistlestop , but one Saturday about 11.30ammorning whilst waiting in my car for the barriers to go up on the level crossing a pisshead fell out through the doors and collapsed in the road in front of my car. It took several other motorists and pedestrians several raises and lowerings of the barriers before the road was clear.

 

[spring hall convert]

The Compton Arms near the Dials has always been a dump. Like most pubs near there it now has a new name; The Rat and Trumpet. Still looks a dive.

It's better but it a'int great

 

[Nibble]

It's better but it a'int great

That Rat & Trumpet place is odd. I never entered when it was Compton but I spent an evening in there when it was The Couch. They tried all sorts to change the custom base. Showing films, DJ's etc but it never took off. Whenever I walked past it (a lot , I used to live on Dials for years) It always had about 5 drinkers in there in the afternoon, ducking out to Bookies across road, then to phone box then back to pub. By about 4 you could tell the winners from losers, the saddest sight was seeing the losers coming out of bookies, checking their change and realising they could not afford another pint. The look on their face, you could tell they were figuring out how to tell the waiting missus why little Johnny can't have his new school shoes!

 

[spring hall convert]

That's like the 4th nomination for my local. I am gobsmacked.
When was the last time you went?

I think it's a bit harsh I used to work down the road for years and went in there a fair bit. The locals were a little rough round the edges but it had a pool table and a half decent juke box. Never saw any major trouble in there. Better than the Victoria accross the road if you ask me.

It does lead me to another question - Why are so many pubs near railway stations dodgy?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Either The Whistlestop in Portslade or The Evening Star near Brighton Station.

The Whistle has an awful atmosphere and I have never felt safe in there and The Evening Star has the worst selection of Lager I've ever seen in a pub.

The Natural Blonde lager they serve is far superior to the usual Fosters / Carling / Carlsberg / Kronenburg, etc that passes for lager in most pubs.

 

[Buzzer]

Clifton is a bit (well, a lot) rough and ready but has bags of character and is an Albion pub. Worse places than that in Worthing: The Alex is as much of a dive, the Castle was a horrible pub (don't know if it's still open), JBs was/is a crusties hole if ever I saw one.

In Brighton, I'd say the Royal Standard, That one at the bottom of Albion Hill with the "dance floor" and disco lights, The Franklin is just ManUre and Chelski testosterone hell but the worst has to be Entourage. It is just wrong. Just nasty.


p.s. I always thought the bar in the Guildbourne was spelt "Tirola". I had some very wrong times there.

 

[spring hall convert]

That Rat & Trumpet place is odd. I never entered when it was Compton but I spent an evening in there when it was The Couch. They tried all sorts to change the custom base. Showing films, DJ's etc but it never took off. Whenever I walked past it (a lot , I used to live on Dials for years) It always had about 5 drinkers in there in the afternoon, ducking out to Bookies across road, then to phone box then back to pub. By about 4 you could tell the winners from losers, the saddest sight was seeing the losers coming out of bookies, checking their change and realising they could not afford another pint. The look on their face, you could tell they were figuring out how to tell the waiting missus why little Johnny can't have his new school shoes!

I go for a pint in there on the way back from work a fair bit and to be fair it's pretty friendly. Some right pissheads in there though. It is miles better than when it was the Compton

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Certainly not a dive but for the staff alone The Open House by Lnd Rd Station is one of the worst pubs. They never take notice of serving order, the blokes opt to serve the good looking girls first and the girls will serve good looking blokes first (that's me screwed). I have been in there waiting for service, being the only person at the bar and had to wait while the barman finished his mobile phone conversation that clearly had nothing to do with work, didn't even acknowledge my presence.
They just preen themselves behind the bar until deem fit to serve you.
I used to live across the tracks from there,I was in there one sat afternoon, having a pint and reading the paper, ther bar was fairly busy, not rammed but no seating left. I was at a table on my own. I went to toilet and when I came back a girl was sat at my table. It was pretty obvious someone was sat there as my paper was spread out on table, a pint next to it, my bag and coat on the back of the chair. I sat down and she ignored me, I said hello and she looked at me like I was a piece of shit. I said I was sitting here and she got up without a word and joined her boyfriend at the bar. About ten mins later they were leaving and they leant over my table and gave me a mouthful about them not being able to eat now and I should have given up my table. I didn't know what she was talking about as she had siad nothing. I told them to so, no swearing I just looked a bit bemused and they went and got a barman who started saying I was causing trouble and had to leave.
You ever had one of those moments where you can't really find words but yuo just think "what the f*** is going on here?"
A bit of a fuss ensued and I ended up having to go.
Now, like I say that is nothing compared to what happens in the more seedy pubs in Sussex, no real trouble and no-one getting hurt or even aggressive, but it serves to illustrate what a bunch of clueless fuckwits the barstaff are and what a bunch of rude, arrogant fuckers most of the clientele are. Hmmph!

When it was The Springfield - because it is in Springfield Road, obviously - it was a Charrington's pub, run superbly by Jim and Heather (who had two stints there - either side of a long stay they had at The Thatched Inn in Keymer). A basic, well-run local pub that was a genuine centre of its community. It doesn't quite work for me now - because it tries too hard to be a different sort of "Community" pub, one that spells community with a capital C, yet somehow manages to exist in isolation from most of the people who live near it.

But it's by no means on my list of "worst boozers in Sussex".

 

[Nibble]

I go for a pint in there on the way back from work a fair bit and to be fair it's pretty friendly. Some right pissheads in there though. It is miles better than when it was the Compton

No argument there, it's odd cos the staff have always been fairly cool, no real dodgy types that I can remember. never seen any trouble there, not really that sort of boozer. Just not a particularly popular pub. I imagine that is why it attracts some of the lone drinkers/gamblers because they can just slink in there and get on with spending and losing their money!


It does look a lot better than it did though.

 

[Buzzer]

Hmm. Can I put my two-pennyworth in for the Open House. I really like it but guess it appeals to my poncey metrosexual demographic. Not as good as the Park Crescent or Hartington or Constant Service but still a great place for a big group of mates to go to esp in the Summer.

 

[Nibble]

But it's by no means on my list of "worst boozers in Sussex".

I see what you mean. I have had some good evenings in there. On the whole, if you are with a group of mates you just get on with enjoying your evening, it only gets infuriating when you have to go to the bar and endure the terrible service. But, as I said and as yuo say it is no dive.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Hmm. Can I put my two-pennyworth in for the Open House. I really like it but guess it appeals to my poncey metrosexual demographic. Not as good as the Park Crescent or Hartington or Constant Service but still a great place for a big group of mates to go to esp in the Summer.

Yep.

When I lived in the area (back in the seventies), people lived in houses and the next door neighbour was an old lady, living on her own. Now they live in flats, made out of converted houses. A couple of years ago, I had a look in an estate agents window at Five Ways and I couldn't believe the price that was being asked for the two attic rooms of the house I used to live in. How the hell they had managed to convert the space into something "self-contained", I have no idea.

 

[spring hall convert]

What about

The Hollingbury
Stamner Park Tavern
Aldrington
Duke of Wellington (Elm Grove & Kemp Town)
The Snipe
Horse and Groom
Leconfield Arms
Windmill (Southwick)
Martha Gunn
Spreadeagle
Lion and Unicorn
Sutherland Arms

Haven't been in any for ages but were all fairly dogdy 5-10 years ago

What's that pub in the arse end of Mile Oak that is full of nutters. That's the only place I've felt properly uncomfortable in Brighton?

And that one right up by the racecourse - Is it called the Winning Post or something. Really small and invariably empty,