brighton terra
Well-known member
Mine would be the Square and Compass in Worth Matravers; there's nowhere quite like it.
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What's your favourite pub in the UK?
- Thread starter brighton terra
- Start date
A man of sound judgement then!
Blimey, haven't got one. Any place that sells beer is automatically a better place than anywhere that doesn't, so it seems a bit churlish to have favourites. Although I have got a soft spot for the Sparkford Inn in Sparkford (Somerset) as we used to take my Dad there for lunch in his later years.
Currently loving The Spotted Dog, Middle St.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
Basketmakers Arms
I just never want to leave.
I just never want to leave.
Dorset Seagull
Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Old Bell Tavern, Harrogate...........about 30 guest ales.........Timothy Taylor top of the list.......I love my twice yearly visit
Say hello to Blue for me and my mate..From Chris & Marcus... Nice geezer. We use his other pub The Lewes arms.
We usually do a pub walkabout near chrimbo time all over Brighton.... The Baskets is where we always start off but by the time we've finished wandering I'm f***ed if I can remember half the pubs we went in!
Are we bad?
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
That isnt there anymore, its now the Hop Poles. Has been for 13 years or more, so you cannot be currently loving the spotted dog, as it is no longer there. This or you are from 1996 and you are communicating through the space time continuum and have no taste in pubs.
del strangefish
Booooo!
Weatherspoons (Any!)
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
Say hello to Blue for me and my mate..From Chris & Marcus... Nice geezer. We use his other pub The Lewes arms.
We usually do a pub walkabout near chrimbo time all over Brighton.... The Baskets is where we always start off but by the time we've finished wandering I'm f***ed if I can remember half the pubs we went in!
Are we bad?
The Baskets is a great place to start a night out, the problem is its very hard to go anywhere after and you tend to start thinking, 'why go anywhere else when its so good here?'.
Haven't seen Blue in a while, but he's still the gaffer!!
Keep up captain !!!
The hop poles closed and reopened as The spotted dog a couple of months ago.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
September 5, 2011
A familiar face returns to the Lanes in Brighton on September 5th as the Hop Poles reopens under its original name, the Spotted Dog. The pub has been called the Hop Poles for the last twelve years but as one of Brighton’s oldest pubs, the Spotted Dog has long been central to Brighton life since before the 1790s. Owners Dominic McCartan & Tony Leonard have a number of changes planned for the popular Brighton pub, along the lines of their freehouse, the Snowdrop Inn in Lewes.
“We will still be serving top quality, locally-sourced meals in a friendly & relaxed setting,” Says co-owner Tony Leonard. “But following a unique deal with freehold owners, Greene King, we are looking forward to serving a spectacular range of locally-brewed cask ales and the best craft beers from all over the world. The Spotted Dog is one of Brighton’s most historic pubs and we think the time is right to restore its proper name and take its rightful place in Brighton history.”
The back bar of The Spotted Dog was a popular gay meeting point through the fifties and sixties when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain. Beatles manager, Brian Epstein was known to visit the pub on several occasions when the band played the Brighton Hippodrome.
In the early eighties, landlord Norman Riches told Gay News: “There has been a complete change of policy and we no longer welcome gays at the Spotted Dog.”* This no-gays policy wasn’t a great success however, and in 1998, then owners, Beards of Sussex, changed the name of the pub to the Hop Poles to disassociate the venue from its gay past. Ironically, it was under gay ownership, of Dominic McCartan & Tony Leonard, that the Hop Poles established itself as one of Brighton’s most popular pubs; offering good quality home-cooked food in a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.
Since they have held the lease, Dominic & Tony have always operated under a tied agreement with Greene King, serving only Greene King brewed real ales and buying all the other beers through the brewery. Under their new agreement they are able to source their beer independently. “This will make a tremendous difference to what we offer,” Says Tony. “All our meals are sourced from local farms and producers and now we can offer the best local ales to accompany them.”
But the innovations aren’t stopping with the ales. There has been a worldwide revolution in craft brewing over the last twenty years and the Spotted Dog will be showcasing the most exciting and innovative beers available.* “Discerning drinkers have had enough of the bland, industrially-produced multinational beer brands and are increasingly seeking out interesting lagers, stouts, wheat beers and ciders. There are plenty of places where you can drink Fosters & Stella and their like, “ Says Dominic McCartan. “At the Spotted Dog, we’ll be offering something decidedly different!”
The Spotted Dog Beer & Chop House, 13 Middle St, Brighton BN1 1AL 01273 710 444
A familiar face returns to the Lanes in Brighton on September 5th as the Hop Poles reopens under its original name, the Spotted Dog. The pub has been called the Hop Poles for the last twelve years but as one of Brighton’s oldest pubs, the Spotted Dog has long been central to Brighton life since before the 1790s. Owners Dominic McCartan & Tony Leonard have a number of changes planned for the popular Brighton pub, along the lines of their freehouse, the Snowdrop Inn in Lewes.
“We will still be serving top quality, locally-sourced meals in a friendly & relaxed setting,” Says co-owner Tony Leonard. “But following a unique deal with freehold owners, Greene King, we are looking forward to serving a spectacular range of locally-brewed cask ales and the best craft beers from all over the world. The Spotted Dog is one of Brighton’s most historic pubs and we think the time is right to restore its proper name and take its rightful place in Brighton history.”
The back bar of The Spotted Dog was a popular gay meeting point through the fifties and sixties when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain. Beatles manager, Brian Epstein was known to visit the pub on several occasions when the band played the Brighton Hippodrome.
In the early eighties, landlord Norman Riches told Gay News: “There has been a complete change of policy and we no longer welcome gays at the Spotted Dog.”* This no-gays policy wasn’t a great success however, and in 1998, then owners, Beards of Sussex, changed the name of the pub to the Hop Poles to disassociate the venue from its gay past. Ironically, it was under gay ownership, of Dominic McCartan & Tony Leonard, that the Hop Poles established itself as one of Brighton’s most popular pubs; offering good quality home-cooked food in a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.
Since they have held the lease, Dominic & Tony have always operated under a tied agreement with Greene King, serving only Greene King brewed real ales and buying all the other beers through the brewery. Under their new agreement they are able to source their beer independently. “This will make a tremendous difference to what we offer,” Says Tony. “All our meals are sourced from local farms and producers and now we can offer the best local ales to accompany them.”
But the innovations aren’t stopping with the ales. There has been a worldwide revolution in craft brewing over the last twenty years and the Spotted Dog will be showcasing the most exciting and innovative beers available.* “Discerning drinkers have had enough of the bland, industrially-produced multinational beer brands and are increasingly seeking out interesting lagers, stouts, wheat beers and ciders. There are plenty of places where you can drink Fosters & Stella and their like, “ Says Dominic McCartan. “At the Spotted Dog, we’ll be offering something decidedly different!”
The Spotted Dog Beer & Chop House, 13 Middle St, Brighton BN1 1AL 01273 710 444
It changed back to The Spotted Dog a couple of months ago. It's run by the folk who run The Snowdrop in Lewes and it's excellent. Brilliant and ever changing range of 7 guest ales, decent lagers (Meantime and Brooklyn plus a Belgian one and a Czech one) and even the stout is a local one from Hepworth.
Nice punters as well.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
Cheers Herb, see my post above.
Sounds good by the way.
Sounds good by the way.
Same layout, mixed crowd, really nice interior good food and a range of ales and quality proper berrs and lagers to rival The Evening Star.
It really is a great pub.