The Maypole Inn, Arundel

Traditional pub on the original road from Barnham, now reduced to a footpath at the level crossing over the railway line. The main door is sheltered below a canopy, and this leads to quite a simply furnished saloon bar with limited decoration. Beyond this, the larger public bar / games room is even more plain. Three Downlands beers (Best, Famous sailors and 1984) were featured on the bank of six handpumps, along with Nonpareil Pale from Sunken Knave.

A bit out of the way, but somehow managing to pack in 8 handpumps and a room full of regulars. The room on the right is large enough for a pool table and, by the sound of it, a television; the room to the left is smaller but does have the advantage (on a cold winter's day) of a couple of real fires. Those pumps were offering 2 ciders and 5 ales (from which we alternated between Hophead and a beer called Dave, presumably for good reasons which we didn't investigate). The beer was good, the fires were warming, the bar staff welcoming and we stayed a while.

A cracking pub situated down a narrow lane which seemingly leads nowhere. A perennial CAMRA favourite with a good range of seven well-kept ales. Two bars inside though we spent most of the time in the rear patio area with some lovely views to be had on a hot summer’s day. Check out the huge t'uppeny coin stack at the bar, I got told how much it was worth but forgot to make a mental note of it in the beer fug…it must be at least a hundred quid. Skittle alley available. A fantastic pub well-worth visiting.