The Stirling Arms, Hove

As the Stirling Arms this pub used to be a typical backstreet boozer, but in 2007 the name was changed to the Foragers and it became a food centric pub offering gastro fayre. The bar is located in the left hand side of the pub and to the left of the bar is a large opening that looks onto the kitchen. There is some more seating to the right of the pub and at the rear is an area that had a velvet curtain drawn across it. Cult comedy is advertised so maybe this area is used for that. The food isn’t cheap and the bar menu starts at £5 for cheese on toast with a hen’s egg. The bar is stocked with premium draught products alongside Guinness and two hand pumps that were drawing Doom Bar and Harvey’s best on Tuesday evening. I didn’t spot any televisions, but there was some bland repetitive music playing in the background. Live DJs are advertised for every Friday and Saturday night and there is a large garden out the back that I didn’t investigate. The service was friendly, but I found this place to be a little boring even though there was a decent sized crowd in attendance. If I found myself in this neck of the woods again I would prefer to drink in one of the other pubs of the area.