The Colonnade, Brighton

A gorgeous little high-camp Victorian bar adjoining the Theatre Royal and decorated with playbills and photos accordingly. Velvet furnishings and drapes, with many mirrors and glasswork, all under a red moulded ceiling. The sort of place you might expect a chap in a top hat and cape, sporting a cane. Outside there is a fenced-off area of tables, partly under the colonnade itself. Four handpumps offered ales from Long Man and Goldmark, with Doom Bar 'coming soon', plus a cider. Probably a bit chaotic around performances but very pleasant at other times.

The Colonnade is the bar of the Brighton Theatre Royal so I expect it to get very busy before, after and during the interval of the different events. Thankfully my visit coincided with a performance so it was quite empty apart from a couple of locals. Although this is not the biggest place the décor is pretty much what one would expect with red drapes, mirrored walls, old theatre posters and signed pictures of actors that have performed over the years. I found the service to be friendly and along with Bierre Morretti, Amstel, Symonds cider and the standard draught I counted three hand pumps that were drawing Caledonian Flying Scotsman, Hepworth’s Prospect and London Pride. There is no TV here, but some sixties music was playing in the background with cheerful classics like Dave Davies’ ‘Death of a Clown’ getting an airing. There is a lot of café style seating out the front and the toilets are down some steep and narrow stairs at the rear. I prefer a boozer with a dartboard so a return visit is not planned.