The Prince Albert, Brighton

Huge mural of the legendary John Peel visible as you approach from stn end of Traf St., but the condition of the beer was poor on my single visit a few months ago. Didn't strike me as the sort of place that would have the necessary through-pull to keep the cask ale in top shape but would be on my Brighton crawl if they could get that (rather important) element right.

Impressive mural on the outside of the pub as mentioned below extremely lively on Saturday evening as you would expect and very bohemian in its feel. Multi roomed with six hand pumps on the go,the Burning Sky Plateu was in top form. I loved the vibrancy of this place, its right up my street and will use this pub again .

This is a rather bohemian (even for Brighton) multi-roomed pub close to Brighton station. The flank wall externally is completely covered in a mural of musicians and other names including John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, John Peel and George Best. Inside, the main room has the bar with a hatch to the smaller room behind. This room has various flags on the ceiling including one of Che Guevara, band flyers, lots of promotion posters for Brighton Festivals of yesteryear, beer mats all around the picture rail area, a spinning disco ball, old tin adverts for the likes of Bovril, Bisto, Colman's mustard etc and behind the bar, a Hadjuk Split football scarf. Seating at various sized regular tables, the larger versions having notes on top requesting they be saved for larger groups, fair enough. The room has a log fire but not needed on a warm March day. The small square room behind the bar had a definite ethnic feel with a leaning towards North African/Moroccan influence, the soundtrack appeared to be North African/Moorish, beads, patterned fabrics and so on as well as a dresser full of jars, bottles, old tins and some board games. The other small rooms repeat the main bar pattern with loads of band flyers and metal advertisements from days long gone. Live music is obviously big here with a number of events advertised, I assume in the upstairs function room. Outdoor seating to the front at picnic benches. Food served, looks decent value with F&C £8.95, burgers £7.50, paninis £6.50-£7.50. There are now six handpumps, a good range too with Longman Copper Hop (£3.60), Bedlam Porter, Harveys Sussex Best, Kissingate Chennai IPA, Burning Sky Plateau Pale Ale and Orchard Pig Navelgazer cider. My Copper Hop was spot on, all beers listed on a chalkboard inc Abv and price. Nice to see prices clearly displayed. The first pub of my recent Brighton jaunt, a very good start to the day and probably not my last visit. If short of time before a train this is worth considering as well as a double up with the Evening Star nearby.