[Brighton] Branch Tavern GONE!

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Blimey! The Branch Tavern in London Road appears to be no more. It's been closed for a few weeks now, I assumed for public health reasons or similar. But no, went past this morning, awnings were going up and the finishing touches being applied to what looks like a complete makeover. Including a new name. Here's to what we must now call The New Unity

 

[pishhead]

Part of the Laine group of pubs I believe.

 

[surrey jim]

I'd imagine their regulars would head over to the Bat and Ball [opposite the Level].

 

[Insel affe]

I'd imagine their regulars would head over to the Bat and Ball [opposite the Level].

Good god, is there enough room for more mobility scooters......

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

we received a press release at Reverb Towers this morning

10 SCREENS, YOUR CHOICE OF SPORT - A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE COMES TO BRIGHTON’S LONDON ROAD
What is it about sport that brings people together? The collective desire for a positive outcome? The group support network when things go wrong? The shared joy in those amazing wins? Whatever it is, sport can be a such a positive force in a community, a force for unity.
The New Unity, opening on London Road on Thursday 20th September, aims to create a community for fans of sport, great beer and food - bringing people together in a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. Following the arcade pub of The World’s End, London Road has gained yet another new bar experience as each booth has its own screen for either a clear view of the game, or even a choice of the match only you and your mates want to watch.
Reserve a booth, grab one of the great Laine beers on tap, one of the craft cans or a good wines (with always running NUS discounts on core drinks), and settle in to extreme drone flying, handball or that third vision team making a rare TV appearance. Unity in diversity. Fans of deep sport have never had such choice to step away from the mainstream. Of course, the big games will be shown on the multiple big screens. In total there’s 10 screens, including the huge projector upstairs that turns the first floor bar into a sports cinema for an incredible unifying atmosphere.
So that’s the unity part, what about the ‘new’ part. Old Brighton faces will remember a pub in Hanover called The Unity, a second home that very much lived up to its name by bringing a wide range of Hanovians together. Anyone that went will remember how welcoming this mythological Brighton pub was, and that’s what The New Unity is all about. So what better name to give homage to?
The New Unity will be the place to experience the big moments in sport, whether that’s Liverpool vs Man City, the latest women’s football international, or even Red Bull Salzburg vs Cardiff Devils.

 

[MattBackHome]

Blimey! The Branch Tavern in London Road appears to be no more. It's been closed for a few weeks now, I assumed for public health reasons or similar. But no, went past this morning, awnings were going up and the finishing touches being applied to what looks like a complete makeover. Including a new name. Here's to what we must now call The New Unity

Loads of computer monitors intriguingly situated below the windows.

I must admit that there is a tiny tiny part of me that was sad to see the Branch go, but it was unremittingly horrendous in there wasn't it.

 

[Gwylan]

w
So that’s the unity part, what about the ‘new’ part. Old Brighton faces will remember a pub in Hanover called The Unity, a second home that very much lived up to its name by bringing a wide range of Hanovians together.

No there wasn't; it was called The London Unity. And if people remember it, how can it be called mythological?

And what the hell's 'deep sport' - is that like deep throat but with more balls?

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

It closed during the World Cup. They must have spent a shed load of cash because it has basically been gutted from top to bottom. I must say it's looking good ( couldn't have been worse before the refurb ) and having no other sports pubs/bars in that area should see them doing a good trade.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

we received a press release at Reverb Towers this morning

10 SCREENS, YOUR CHOICE OF SPORT - A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE COMES TO BRIGHTON’S LONDON ROAD
What is it about sport that brings people together? The collective desire for a positive outcome? The group support network when things go wrong? The shared joy in those amazing wins? Whatever it is, sport can be a such a positive force in a community, a force for unity.
The New Unity, opening on London Road on Thursday 20th September, aims to create a community for fans of sport, great beer and food - bringing people together in a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. Following the arcade pub of The World’s End, London Road has gained yet another new bar experience as each booth has its own screen for either a clear view of the game, or even a choice of the match only you and your mates want to watch.
Reserve a booth, grab one of the great Laine beers on tap, one of the craft cans or a good wines (with always running NUS discounts on core drinks), and settle in to extreme drone flying, handball or that third vision team making a rare TV appearance. Unity in diversity. Fans of deep sport have never had such choice to step away from the mainstream. Of course, the big games will be shown on the multiple big screens. In total there’s 10 screens, including the huge projector upstairs that turns the first floor bar into a sports cinema for an incredible unifying atmosphere.
So that’s the unity part, what about the ‘new’ part. Old Brighton faces will remember a pub in Hanover called The Unity, a second home that very much lived up to its name by bringing a wide range of Hanovians together. Anyone that went will remember how welcoming this mythological Brighton pub was, and that’s what The New Unity is all about. So what better name to give homage to?
The New Unity will be the place to experience the big moments in sport, whether that’s Liverpool vs Man City, the latest women’s football international, or even Red Bull Salzburg vs Cardiff Devils.

That's good. Sounds like a clear and present upgrade on the Branch. That just now leaves the World's End to upgrade its afternoon sessions to be fit for consumption for normal people and the gentrification of London Road pubs will be more or less complete. Well at least until all the closed down banks there get transformed by 'Spoons and its nearest competitors.

Seems to me that London Road may finally be nearing gentification critical mass. Which is nice.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Makes me feel old - I can remember having a very quick, necked pint in The Branch when I moved to Brighton as an 18 year old. I went to The Hobgoblin afterwards, became a regular and never went back.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Makes me feel old - I can remember having a very quick, necked pint in The Branch when I moved to Brighton as an 18 year old. I went to The Hobgoblin afterwards, became a regular and never went back.

At least you appear only to be old enough to remember it as the Hobgoblin. Before that it was The Northern, sole Brighton outpost of thick-eared heavyish metal bands.

Give it another couple of decades and maybe even all those manky pubs by The Level will get a similar upgrade.

 

[Jim D]

That's good. Sounds like a clear and present upgrade on the Branch. That just now leaves the World's End to upgrade its afternoon sessions to be fit for consumption for normal people and the gentrification of London Road pubs will be more or less complete. Well at least until all the closed down banks there get transformed by 'Spoons and its nearest competitors.

Seems to me that London Road may finally be nearing gentification critical mass. Which is nice.

Looks like both 'spoons in Brighton are on strike tomorrow.

 

[fataddick]

Looks like both 'spoons in Brighton are on strike tomorrow.

Staff in the North Street and West Street Wetherspoons are striking on Thursday 4th October (called by the bakers union, demanding £10 an hour).

The Marina and Hove ones are unaffected.

 

[fataddick]

That's good. Sounds like a clear and present upgrade on the Branch. That just now leaves the World's End to upgrade its afternoon sessions to be fit for consumption for normal people and the gentrification of London Road pubs will be more or less complete. Well at least until all the closed down banks there get transformed by 'Spoons and its nearest competitors.

Seems to me that London Road may finally be nearing gentification critical mass. Which is nice.

The back street just behind London Road (Elder & Providence Places) will be next to spruce itself up.

A new craft beer bar (Holler) opens there in a week or two. Expect the artisanal coffee shops etc to follow.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Staff in the North Street and West Street ones are striking tomorrow (called by the bakers union, demanding £10 an hour).

Blimey, that's not good. Where are all those pensioners going to be able to have a nice sit down on a comfy chair while they wait for the coach home now? And where else in the centre of town going to provide free public toilets?

 

[ManOfSussex]

At least you appear only to be old enough to remember it as the Hobgoblin. Before that it was The Northern, sole Brighton outpost of thick-eared heavyish metal bands.

Give it another couple of decades and maybe even all those manky pubs by The Level will get a similar upgrade.

Yeah, only knew it as The Hoggoblin when I was a regular there for a couple of years in the 90's. I have very periodically frequented it over the last 2 decades for a bit of old times sake. I must have last popped in there 18 months/2 years back and got quite depressed as I appeared to be the only customer the barmaid served who she didn't ask for ID.

 

[Chicken Run]

I was stripped naked and tossed in a paddling pool full of jelly and a stripper who then wrestled me in that boozer, although iirc it was called Wheelers back then?

 

[fataddick]

Blimey! Where are all those pensioners going to be able to have a nice sit down on a comfy chair while they wait for the coach home now? And where else in the centre of town going to provide free public toilets?

Just double checked and the strike is actually two weeks today so plenty of time for the pensioners to source other seating/toilets.

 

[pearl]

I'd imagine their regulars would head over to the Bat and Ball [opposite the Level].

I recognised some 'faces' smoking outside the Mitre

 

[pearl]

That's good. Sounds like a clear and present upgrade on the Branch. That just now leaves the World's End to upgrade its afternoon sessions to be fit for consumption for normal people and the gentrification of London Road pubs will be more or less complete. Well at least until all the closed down banks there get transformed by 'Spoons and its nearest competitors.

Seems to me that London Road may finally be nearing gentification critical mass. Which is nice.

Sounds like a massive punch up to me and what happened to Poundland, was it too expensive?