The Dinkum, Polegate

Traditional Harvey's pub, apart from the curious Australian name... Main bar at the front, with a smaller one behind that, then the pool room and finally the raised rear beer garden. Refurbished in a light style with pale blue paintwork at the lower level and in cream above. I found Sussex and the lighter Sisters table beer (£4.80) from the various handpumps on the two counters.

Popular and friendly locals pub on the main street through the small town of Polegate and not too far from the railway station and level crossing. As a Harvey's house, it stocks their Sussex Best Bitter and a seasonal beer from the brewery. This was Olympia on our visit yesterday afternoon. Weston's Rosie's Pig cider could be found on another handpull. Most people could be found in the bar at the front, but there are further rooms with more seating to the rear, where a dartboard and a pool table could be found.

Official site of The Dinkum - www.harveys.org.uk

Official site of The Dinkum - www.harveys.org.uk

The unusual name of this pub comes courtesy of some Aussie soldiers during WWII. One wonders what it was called before that. I only had time for a flying visit as a train was due. As you would expect from Harvey's it consists of two proper traditional bars, public and saloon. I only saw the saloon bar which was small and cosy. Two Harvey's beers were on offer the Sussex Best and the Old Ale. I had a quick pint of the Old (£3.70) which was in good condition. To me £3.70 a pint for a mid ABV beer is too expensive but this is Sussex. At around 18:00 on a mid week afternoon it was very quiet. This isn't one of Harvey's top pubs but is a pleasant enough town local.

I visited The Dinkum on Thursday evening a couple of weeks ago and found an empty pub with two people in the front bar and an irate customer who had put too much money in the fruit machine in the other. There was another seating area that was closed, but I did spot a pool table in there and I suspect that there is a dartboard. I only saw one plasma screen, but again I’d imagine that there is a screen in the rear that was closed as Sky Sports is advertised. The governor seemed nice enough and there was nothing wrong with the Guinness he served, but I was surprised to see only Old Sussex available from the three hand pumps as this pub is in a prime location on Polegate High Street and is the nearest pub to the railway station. Cheap pub grub is available here and at 16:00 every Saturday afternoon there is a meat raffle. There is a jukebox, but this was unused in favour of the radio playing behind the bar, complete with adverts. Outside the front of the pub up some steps are some picnic tables under an awning which were handy for having a smoke. Maybe I caught this place at a bad time as the small bars and crackling fire are right up my street, but unfortunately I wasn’t that impressed. Maybe it improves at the weekend and if I find myself in this neck of the woods on a Friday or Saturday I may give it another go.