The Blind Busker, Hove

This venue was known as Hogshead until an extensive refurbishment in 2006 when the name was changed to the current moniker of Blind Busker. Apparently this name is inspired by a blind busker who used to work the shores of Hove back in the nineteenth century. There is some decking and seating out the front and an A Board advises of the weekly Monday evening music quiz that starts at 20:30, the acoustic night every Friday from 20:00 and the Sunday open mic nights which also start at 20:00. Pub grub is served daily from 10:00 until 22:00 and there are food promotions most evenings of the week. There is an advertised beer garden out the back that I didn’t visit during my visit on Tuesday evening just gone. Children are welcome until 22:00 (blimey) and there is advertised disabled access, but the interior layout dictates that the less fleet of foot will struggle up and down the various steps. This interior is made up by a small seating area at the front entrance and another seating area up some steps to the right. Up some more steps towards the rear is the bar area where a mix of standard and premium draught products are available. There are also six hand pumps that were drawing Harvey’s best, Bombardier, Abbot, Ringwood’s fortyniner and Weston’s Traditional Scrumpy; the sixth hand pump was being changed. My visit coincided with the Arsenal in a Champions League game so the pub was busy with customers watching the match via Sky Sports on the plasma screens that are located either side of the pub. I would imagine that there is some form of background music when football is not being aired and I noted late opening until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. I thought that this pub was pleasant enough and I’d gladly return for another pint.