Granted it had a bad reputation but it's nothing like what it use to be.I'm going back 15-20 years.
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Worst Boozer in Sussex
- Thread starter Scanny
- Start date
Granted it had a bad reputation but it's nothing like what it use to be.I'm going back 15-20 years.
Spot on.The Golden Eagle is the only pub i haven't been into in mid sussex but have heard about it.What do you expect when Bentswood is close by.lol
The Duck has changed it's name many times.The only pub in Haywards Heath to have a slight reputation years ago was the Sussex.In bugs Hole again "The Junction" many moons ago.Mid sussex pubs are in general ok.
Haven't eating in many pubs but one that stands out to be the worse meal i had about 2-3 years ago was the Cock inn.
Some of the pubs people have listed are quite laughable.Don't know much about pubs along the cost from After Newhaven down to Hastings or Portslade to Chichester so can't comment.Since i've had plenty of experince of dive pubs in my life i can dismiss most on here.
As i said earlier The Imperial in Broadfield will take pretty much any pub to the cleaners listed.You simply watch your back in and outside the pub.None of this 3-4 on to one either.Don't turn up in a group either if your not known on a weekend night.Bad move.
The Crown in crawley is another shithole which is trying to be shut down for non stop trouble but it's not a patch on the Imperial in my books.
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I think you'll find that for a truly great selection of shite boozers Crawley is pretty hard to beat. Starting in the throbbing heart of the town - Crawley High Street you can choose from chav traps such as the Jubilee Oak, a weatherspoons which feels like an airport corridor, or old man whino paradise such as the White Hart, a pub locked in such a time warp that you wouldn't be surprised to see the patrons asking for a party 7 to take out.
But for the real gems you need to drag yourself away from the bright lights of the town centre and venture into the neighbourhoods. Each little area in Crawley has been thoughtfully provided with a parade of shops. Back in the 50's town planners fondly imagined each would provide a a butcher a baker a greengrocer and an ironmonger for the local population. Of course all they contain now are a Happy Shopper, and 5 different takeaways. Without exception next to each parde stands a pub. Built in the 50's and 60's these barn like places have all the architectural splendour of downtown Moscow and patrons to match. Frequented by the residents of Crawley too weird or stupid to make it to the town centre they offer a welcome like a pikey Slaughtered Lamb.
But even Crawley has it's better areas so while the The White Knight in Pound Hill and the Maid of Sussex in Three Bridges are truly horrible, it's to Broadfield we must travel for that special air of menace that marks out the truly great shite boozer.
The imperial for all i know may have been closed down by now for it is some years since i've been in the area. Situated in a windswept hell hole that is broadfield shopping centre to reach it you must pass the vacant eyed stares of single mums, and the growls of pitbulls and their hollow cheeked shiny clothed owners. Walk round the piles of litter and you can stop to admire the chipboard where the windows used to be. Push open the door and inside the mothers and fathers of the mums and dog owners will glare back at you from the decayed furniture. Stop and enjoy a pint of cheap lager or an alchopop.
The patrons already think you're the filth , but why not see if you can spot any real rozzers. They'll be the ones whose skin isn't that special shade of yellow. Once you have soaked in the the atmosphere and are ready to leave be careful. Listen for people following you, and don't linger too long.
But for the real gems you need to drag yourself away from the bright lights of the town centre and venture into the neighbourhoods. Each little area in Crawley has been thoughtfully provided with a parade of shops. Back in the 50's town planners fondly imagined each would provide a a butcher a baker a greengrocer and an ironmonger for the local population. Of course all they contain now are a Happy Shopper, and 5 different takeaways. Without exception next to each parde stands a pub. Built in the 50's and 60's these barn like places have all the architectural splendour of downtown Moscow and patrons to match. Frequented by the residents of Crawley too weird or stupid to make it to the town centre they offer a welcome like a pikey Slaughtered Lamb.
But even Crawley has it's better areas so while the The White Knight in Pound Hill and the Maid of Sussex in Three Bridges are truly horrible, it's to Broadfield we must travel for that special air of menace that marks out the truly great shite boozer.
The imperial for all i know may have been closed down by now for it is some years since i've been in the area. Situated in a windswept hell hole that is broadfield shopping centre to reach it you must pass the vacant eyed stares of single mums, and the growls of pitbulls and their hollow cheeked shiny clothed owners. Walk round the piles of litter and you can stop to admire the chipboard where the windows used to be. Push open the door and inside the mothers and fathers of the mums and dog owners will glare back at you from the decayed furniture. Stop and enjoy a pint of cheap lager or an alchopop.
The patrons already think you're the filth , but why not see if you can spot any real rozzers. They'll be the ones whose skin isn't that special shade of yellow. Once you have soaked in the the atmosphere and are ready to leave be careful. Listen for people following you, and don't linger too long.
That has to be the best post i've read on here for years.Your describtion of Broadfield/pitballs,chipbaord windows is absolutely spot on.I take it you have lived here? Great read and obviously someone with a bit of brains when it comes to shit/rough pubs.
The Dorsten in Bewbush is no longer.Nearly all of Crawley estate pubs are dives.
The Dorsten in Bewbush is no longer.Nearly all of Crawley estate pubs are dives.
.....
But many other pubs or bars don't offer any ale. Or if they have an alternative it tends to be something shit like Tetley's or John Smith's.
The junction was pretty rough the few times i went in there. It's now closed down and boarded up.
The Top House used to be a really nice pub, but it's really gone down hill in the past year or so. Or at least it had the last time i went in there which was a few months ago.
The Clifton - Worthing
The Dolphin - Worthing
The Gratwick - Littlehampton
The Pilot - Southwick
The Crown & Anchor - Portslade
The Family Tree - Bognor
The Selsey Bill - Selsey
The Merry Monk - Lancing
The Martha Gunn - Brighton
The Marquess Of Exeter - Brighton
The Bulldog - Kemp Town
The worst has to be The Clifton
The Dolphin - Worthing
The Gratwick - Littlehampton
The Pilot - Southwick
The Crown & Anchor - Portslade
The Family Tree - Bognor
The Selsey Bill - Selsey
The Merry Monk - Lancing
The Martha Gunn - Brighton
The Marquess Of Exeter - Brighton
The Bulldog - Kemp Town
The worst has to be The Clifton
I have lived in Crawley and used to do a lot of work in the town. Have to say I have a real soft spot for the place, probably as it gets a lot of harsh treatment form the sort of people who live in dull identikit estates on the edge of suppossedly nicer towns
BensGrandad
New member
Peoples conception of god and bad pubs obviously vary as I am sure I read somewhere that somebody said that Quenchers in Bugs Hole was good. How can I converted shop selling poncy bottled lagers possibly be conceived as being a good pub.
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
because it's nothing like you just said apart from the converted shop part? they even have an annual ALE FESTIVAL there
BensGrandad
New member
To my mind the best proper pub in Burgess Hill is The Cricketers, but then I am probably biased. Mind you that changes hands on Tuesday.
Sorry it's a little dive compared to the "Woolpack"
BensGrandad
New member
How is it a dive it is clean, and a proper dinking pub with good beer. As I said it changes hands on Tuesday Simon Hancock is taking it over, it will then become the 'in' pub in BH.
It's not just about the beer you know.It's the atmosphere,comfort etc.The cricketers falls well short compared to the Pack.
Oh and i couldn't think of a worse person in Bugs Hole to take over a pub.
chez
Johnny Byrne-The Greatest
But at least they offer an alternative regardless of how shit it may be.
Scotty Mac
New member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 24,405
the games room at the back is excellent - apart from that, it is nothing special
Gully
Monkey in a seagull suit.
Surely a good pub is one that has a decent range of beers, probably isn't tied to any particular brewery, food that won't cost a fortune or give you a dose of food poisoning, clientelle who aren't looking to pick a fight with pretty much anyone who they think is looking at them, doesn't have people trying to hawk dodgy goods or drugs to fellow drinkers, doesn't have uncontrolled children running amok around the place, doesn't have music so loud that you have to scream conversation above it just to be heard (this doesn't count for bars that have live music, though that is probably the reason you have gone there anyway), doesn't have someone stood on the door in a cheap suit who looks like his ego is far larger than his IQ and gets off on refusing people entry.
Any pub that can satisfy all that lot will probably get my custom, any that don't probably won't, regardless of their location.
Any pub that can satisfy all that lot will probably get my custom, any that don't probably won't, regardless of their location.
BensGrandad
New member
I cannot argue abiut the atmosphere as I havent been in there for ages but when I ran it it had a great pub atmosphere where anybody could talk to anybody and women would arrange to meet their man without any fears.
But, as I said, many don't.