The Rainbow, Chichester

Another Chichester pub that was recommended that I pop in by the local CAMRA branch member I ran into earlier in the weekend. The Rainbow was for some years known as the Happy Medium, but has recently reopened after a period of closure as a Free House under its original Victorian name, and the new landlord is trying to make a go focussing on selling a changing range of Ales. In style it is a suburban one bar local with a single part wood-panelled L-shaped bar with a coal fire at one end with comfortable seating and a pool table and conservatory at the other. There isn’t an extensive food menu but homemade bar snacks in the form of burgers or Scottish pies with or without chips are available until 7pm each day and live acoustic music sessions are held on Friday evenings. On the Beer front there are three ale pumps at the near end of the bar with Dark Star Hop Head as a regular beer and at least one of the others dispensing a local brewery beer. For my visit Adnams Bitter and Longman Brewery Copper Hop were alongside the HopHead. Between us we tried all three and they were all in good condition. It’s always good to see a pub reopen and I really wish this one well and hope it finds a local following. Definitely worth doing as a double with the nearby Bell Inn if you find yourself north of the ring road.