The Cricketers, Brighton

The bottleneck just inside the door that I mentioned after my visit seven years ago has been relieved. The street outside has also benefited in the intervening years from further pedestrianisation, with an extended drinking area in front of this pub. The interior of the pub is much as it always was, and my half of Harvey's Sussex Best was pretty good (NBSS 3). I see that I paid £2.20 for a half in 2017; now it's £2.85.

This is the sort of comfortable feeling style of pub that I would use if I was a local.Friendly bar staff.Went for the Veterans -pale .dull and golden.

Established in 1547, this was another former Tamplin’s house, later Watney’s. This is also a rock pub, as in mentioned in Graham Greene’s novel, Brighton Rock. More importantly, it also has a CAMRA Regionally Important Historic Interior, which is the pub’s main selling point. Horse brasses decorate a fine dark wood bar back with lettering to the top reading ‘Foreign Brandies’. The ceiling is low with black beams from which hang chamber pots – hardly bog-standard décor. There’s flock wallpaper and fantastic brass uplighters on the bar, but the most striking ingredient of all is the swathe of studded cerise velour upholstery to the seating. In all, it’s a bit like drinking in a gypsy fortune teller’s parlour. Ales: a very friendly and helpful barman served me with a half of Caledonian Brewery’s Golden XPA at a rather steep £2.25. I’m not a fan of Caledonian’s ales at the best of times and this example was a bit off, the only truly duff ale of the day. This is a fantastic, visually striking pub but if I had been able to peer into a crystal ball, I’d have opted for a different beer. Rated 6.5.

Despite the claimed date, this is a Grade II-listed Georgian building with a distinctive full-height double-bowed frontage. The impressive Victorian interior of the main bar and rear rooms is deservedly on Camra's regional heritage list, and the upstairs function rooms commemorate its association with the author Graham Greene. Also has pavement tables at the front for the better weather. Three of four handpumps in operation when we visited: London Pride, Caledonia XPA and 303 Golden Ale from Veterens Brewing (£2.00, half).

Well worth a visit,there is an entrance to the side which appears to have been a courtyard at some stage with a brick cobbled flooring but now joined to the original pub via an arch which has a very good interior ,lots of plush red velour covering the bench seating,good mirrors and an old school pub feeling.The small bar has to the front 4 handpumps serving on my trip London pride,Veterans 303 Golden Ale and a decent Caledonian Golden IPA. Try to include it on any crawl amongst the Lanes.