Marlipins, Shoreham-By-Sea

Situated on Shoreham's busy High Street, Marlipins has a comfortable public bar at the front, with a more modern room at the rear. Beyond that was a garden area. We arrived to find a roaring fire, reminding us that winter is just around the corner. Sharp's Doom Bar is the regular beer. This was supplemented by Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter. I chose the Doom Bar, only to regret my decision!

You know it's a local's local as soon as you enter. Warm (actually too warm!), busy at 13:00 ystdy with people eating & drinking, all tables taken & plenty of punters standing chatting around the bar. Harveys, Pride, Spitfire, Youngs. You can't help but like a community boozer like this.

The Marlipins official site - themarlipinsshorehambysea.co.uk

The Marlipins official site - themarlipinsshorehambysea.co.uk

I wasn’t sure what to expect before I entered Marlipins as the majority of the high street exterior of this pub is taken up with advertisements for Francesco’s bistro. Italian food is heavily advertised at around £10 for a main and I got the impression that this place had gone down the food path. I was pleasantly surprised to find a small and cosy L shaped bar on the other side of the entrance. There was some decent banter between the locals and the staff that wasn’t drowned out by the background music that was audible but not intrusive. There is a cosy little conservatory extension dining area with exposed brick at the rear and food is also available in the bar area. My visit was on a recent Saturday night when there were no diners, but menus were still on the tables so food was probably still available. There is an advertised beer garden, which I didn’t visit, at the rear and there is some seating out the front on the path of the high street. The bar is stocked with standard draught and one of the five hand pumps was unused leaving an ale selection of Harvey’s Best, Abbot, Young’s Special and Butcombe Bitter. Karaoke is advertised for every Sunday from 18:00 and there live music was advertised for random weekends. I didn’t think that I was going to like it in here, but I found it to be a nice and cosy little pub that I would have no problem returning to.

An attractive characterful old pub with a very low dark stained timber ceiling. It felt very comfortable, carpeted and with traditional seating plus bar stools.....just don't jump up too quickly! Light wood panelled walls, old pictures of the local area, a display case of knots, brass and copper artifacts on the beams. There was also a well stocked bookcase on a side wall and the front window cills have an assortment of stone jars. I got the impression this is a regulars' pub, a few were chatting at the bar with the barmaid, but it was welcoming and friendly nevertheless. Four pumps, three on, Harvey's Sussex Best(£3.10), Young's Ordinary Bitter and Pride. I couldn't see what the reversed clip said. There is a garden to the rear also, plus I saw a sign to a seperate restaurant although I didn't investigate.