[Drinking] Do you know these Brighton pubs?

[pb21]

Traf is an excellent boozer, love it. Thought it had been taken over though, although that was a few years ago now.

Setting sun is a bit of a small locals place, last time I went in there it felt tacky.

Used to go to the Juggs as a youngster with my folks

 

[The Fits]

Juggs in Kingston dire at the moment, should be and could again be brilliant. However you`d need to be concerned about terms offered !!

I’d say rent is as high as you’d risk going. It’s expensive.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Hello all.
I’ve been looking at getting a pub in Brighton. Ideally a free house but it’s a tougher market.
There’s a few pub group sites available so I’m thinking maybe taking one of those first. I’m very anti pub group, but really keen to get back to the city (or at least county).

If any you have any comments about these I’d be delighted to hear them (good and bad).

Setting Sun, Hanover
Battle of Trafalgar, Guildford Road
Preston Brewery Tap
New Oak, New Oak Avenue
Also...
Juggs in Lewes
Smugglers Inn, Pevensey

Maybe worth researching in depth (sorry) the flooding likelihood around the Brewery Tap. The torrential rain recently has lead to serious flooding in that area - the rain water cascades all the way down Preston Drove from Fiveways, and only stops at the bottom of the hill when it hits Preston Road. There's also an actual underground river called the Wellesbourne that runs under Preston Park and sometimes causes surface flooding. Other things to bear in mind about the Tap are the limited outdoor seating - in a little courtyard out the back - and the stiff competition from the Crown And Anchor about 100 metres along the road. Having said all that, have nothing but the fondest memories of the old place, which was a home from home during The Withdean Years

 

[Goldstone Guy]

If it were me, I'd pick the Battle of Trafalgar out of that list. Very handy for Brighton Station and the football crowds.

Exactly what I would say. The location is good because, although close to the city centre and the station, it's in a quiet residential street so has more a friendly, "local" (see League of Gentleman) feel than other city centre pubs might have. Having said that I don't think I've been in the BoT for years, have been to the Duke of Wellington round the corner a few times which I think would very similar. Preston Brewery Tap is on a very busy main road/junction which would put me off (perhaps wrongly).

 

[Paris]

The Tap is a very different pub to the one I frequented as a youngster, decades ago. Denise ran it and cider loving taxi driver Chris did the Sunday evening pub quiz. Jockey was on the okey. Sticky carpets, free sandwiches etc, etc.

 

[The Fits]

Have also just been sent The Rock in Kemptown.

 

[Diablo]

I’d say rent is as high as you’d risk going. It’s expensive.

Desperately needs new Landlord. Shunned by locals at the moment. If you are good at your job. Locals will come back, plenty within walking distance on cold winter midweek evenings. Plenty of inside space and also out side covered area. From new Pub landlords point of view. Good catchment area. Good car parking and nice place to live. Good primary school and easy access to South Downs. Many walkers use Pub.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I'd give The Smugglers in Pevensey a miss. I'm actually a bit surprised it's still going. 30 years ago maybe but I don't think the immediate area can support 2 pubs anymore. Which is a shame.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

B.of T is, IMO, a great pub.

Love the beer garden when the weather is decent.

 

[big nuts]

The Setting Sun is a nice pub and does a great Sunday roast.

 

[The Fits]

Desperately needs new Landlord. Shunned by locals at the moment. If you are good at your job. Locals will come back, plenty within walking distance on cold winter midweek evenings. Plenty of inside space and also out side covered area. From new Pub landlords point of view. Good catchment area. Good car parking and nice place to live. Good primary school and easy access to South Downs. Many walkers use Pub.

This is great thanks. I’m very much straddling the fence between city and country. Love city pubs but I am getting tired. Have a dog and quite fancy a quieter life.

 

[pb21]

B.of T is, IMO, a great pub.

Love the beer garden when the weather is decent.

Good point the beer garden is very good, possibly the biggest/best in town?

 

[pb21]

This is great thanks. I’m very much straddling the fence between city and country. Love city pubs but I am getting tired. Have a dog and quite fancy a quieter life.

Kingston would be ideal for a quieter life with a dog!

 

[Postman Pat]

Pub Spy: This place is not for the faint-hearted and surely the worst pub in Brighton

I’M not narrow-minded and don’t think I’m squeamish, but getting my shoes covered in vomit before I even got through the door should have…

www.theargus.co.uk

County Oak - now New Oak.
It has vastly improved since this when it was in the middle of multiple owners/landlords, but a very different pub from the one I used to drink in 30 years ago!

 

[The Maharajah of Sydney]

Battle of Trafalgar is our go to pre-match pub whenever we're over from OZ - the quintessential back street boozer, one block back from the main drag.
Great character to it and some very decent beers on offer plus very good pub food too - not just bloody burgers !
That Troop beer they had on when I was at there at the start of this season was excellent, never come across it before.
Also have a very good Hereford-based beer.
But at the season-opener at Home to Luton, we walked in and was told it was under new management and as such hadn't had time enough to sort out the kitchen, so no food at all available - suggested we bring food in instead.
If it's now available to yourself to take on I guess that new management never got it to work ?
The football, even with Europe, would be less than 25 days a year (excepting domestic Cup Home games).
So, question is, how does it fare in a very saturated and challenging market for the rest of the 340 days of the year ?

 

[Diablo]

I’d say rent is as high as you’d risk going. It’s expensive.

Min ingoing £21,000, Fully tied, so the more you turnover the more profit they make and starting rent £1000 week.​

You need to negotiate better terms than that. Work hard and they`ll make even more money.

​

 

[Questions]

Kingston would be ideal for a quieter life with a dog!

And a spliff.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Desperately needs new Landlord. Shunned by locals at the moment. If you are good at your job. Locals will come back, plenty within walking distance on cold winter midweek evenings. Plenty of inside space and also out side covered area. From new Pub landlords point of view. Good catchment area. Good car parking and nice place to live. Good primary school and easy access to South Downs. Many walkers use Pub.

My experience of The Juggs is as a walker. We walked there across the Downs from Woodingdean during (partial) lockdown, on a ridiculously hot day. Enjoyed a couple of pints in the mercifully shaded outdoor area, and then within 20 minutes of setting off back, realised quite how far DOWNHILL our outward leg had been

It is a great spot to live in, I'd imagine. Really pleasant, quiet village - and the kind of pretty country pub (but very close to the towns to bring in trade) with outside space that should be an absolute money tree through the summer. (like for example, the Shepherd and Dog in Fulking).

 

[Bozza]

@Biffer's worked in the Brighton pub trade for a long, long time so may be able to offer some more qualified advice than most of us writing as punters.

Like others, the BoT jumps out to me. We've spent many pre- and post-match sessions in there. Deeply buried on these pages was a "Best Brighton pub" competition from many years back. The Battle won and I have vague memories of presenting them with a trophy.

Mel had been there for the best part of 20 years and left a few months ago - I'm not entirely sure why - maybe just wanted a change of scene. I do feel slightly surprised that it's available, as it feels like a goldmine that would be snapped up. The price reflects that I suppose...

 

[Oh_aye]

Hello all.
I’ve been looking at getting a pub in Brighton. Ideally a free house but it’s a tougher market.
There’s a few pub group sites available so I’m thinking maybe taking one of those first. I’m very anti pub group, but really keen to get back to the city (or at least county).

If any you have any comments about these I’d be delighted to hear them (good and bad).

Setting Sun, Hanover
Battle of Trafalgar, Guildford Road
Preston Brewery Tap
New Oak, New Oak Avenue
Also...
Juggs in Lewes
Smugglers Inn, Pevensey

The Juggs should be great but they never seem to get the serving system right. It used to be somewhere we went pre-pandemic, but seems to have gone downhill a bit.

It's out in the country so really closer to a restaurant type pub. Heaving in good weather previously. I wonder about how busy it would be at other times. I also wonder how easy it is to staff. The last few times non of the waiting staff seemed to be over 14.

Setting sun, likewise used to be great. Quite small hut an excellent outdoor space with good views. That simple local decent food premise seemed to be ruined the last time i went in with really tacky decorations and chandeliers and they'd killed the atmosphere. I've no idea how you fail to run a pub in hannover. Must be fairly constant foot fall