The Talbot, Haywards Heath

The Talbot has patio seating out the front that leads to the entrance and an L-shaped bar with banquette seating and a television above a fireplace. To the right of the entrance is a restaurant area, the bacon cheeseburger is priced at £15. Upstairs is the Hay Loft function room. The bar supports three handpumps, one of which was unused leaving Harvey’s Best and Longman’s Long Reign Pale Ale as the cask options. Being as the Platinum Jubilee celebrations were on the TV I went for the Long Reign which was well served by the friendly barman. I found this pub to be a bit soulless so I’ll not be returning just for a beer.

Official site of Talbot Inn - www.thetalbotcuckfield.co.uk

There were three ales on when Mrs R and I dropped in here at around noon on Tuesday - Harvey's Best; Darkstar Hophead; and Long Man Brewery Sussex Pride, the latter very much a local ale. So far so good. But this is another very food led pub judging by the fact that all the tables had napkins and cutlery on them, and most also had reserved signs. The tables didn't have menus on them (although they did have wine lists - but Mrs R was unimpressed by the fact that they had run out of Pinot Grigio), but a chalkboard on one of the walls advertised several daily specials for a fiver, offering such things a soup of the day, Welsh rarebit, or quiche. The pub is very modern and doesn't look much like a village pub from the outside. It looks for all the world like a shop conversion. Inside it's all minimalism with paintwork a combination of battleship and gastro grey. It's very colourless - it really is shades of grey. There are a couple of fireplaces, one of the an Ember Inns style see-through affair, with a pile of logs next to it apparently as a decorative feature. There are some armchairs, black plastic covered banquettes, standard tables and chairs, and a couple of tall tables/tall stools. This is a charmless, yet functional, pub cum restaurant. Yet it did have three ales on and is the best bet if you happen to be in Cuckfield on a weekday lunchtime as the only other pub in the village doesn't open until the evening.

Official site of Talbot Inn - www.thetalbotcuckfield.co.uk