Miller & Carter Haywards Heath, Haywards Heath

Visited 08/07/26. Visited previously 10/11/23. No cask. Keg offering of Guinness, Neck Oil, Aspall, Peroni, Madri. Pleasant branch of nationwide chain. There is a nice area to sit outside in decent weather (eg this evening) with patio style furniture on a combination of paving and grass. Inside the bar area is straight ahead and down a couple of steps. The bar counter is then an L shaped affair on stone flagstones. There is a small table by the side of the bar counter not laid for diners, but the tables around the bar counter are usually available to drinkers even though they are laid for diners and the chairs are comfy armchair types, with a leather banquette along the back wall in this area serving a couple of tables. No screens and a poppy soundtrack playing on my visit. The venue was quiet on my mid evening, mid-week visit.

Quite an attractive building, formerly the Sergison Arms, but now (almost entirely) a chain steakhouse restaurant. The bar is partly hidden and down a few steps towards the back, buried between the various dimly lit dining areas and with a solitary small general seating table. However, on a fine Spring day, the front patio garden was a pleasant-enough spot (despite the passing traffic) to drink a quick Peroni (£3.35, half). Madri, Neck Oil, Guinness and Aspall cider also available.

Miller & Carter is a chain of steakhouses, which was unbeknown to me before visiting this one in Haywards Heath. There is some patio furniture out the front by the entrance and a large car park surrounds the building because essentially this is a restaurant. I was met at the door by a young’un who asked me “how many?”, I said “I lost count in the Star”. Of course he was asking how many would be dining, but was fine when I said I was just looking for a beer. I found a table by the bar that is stocked with premium keg, I counted eight fonts. The restaurant was empty on Saturday evening a couple of weeks ago, when other places, including the Harvester over the road were very busy. I went for half an Amstel which was flat… OK, it was flatter than normal. From what I saw I reckon this place could be in trouble.