The Royal Marine Artillery Tavern, Eastney, Southsea

A Victorian terrace pub, once owned by Gales but now a freehouse having been asset-stripped by Fullers, which previously served the Royal Marines barracks opposite as mentioned by Michael, below. The three bars have been made open plan, though they are still clearly demarked by means of the décor, which is, to say the least, chaotic. At the far end is a games area and public bar with a pool table, dartboard and plenty of space for vertical drinking. The middle bit has a disco booth and has a rather Bohemian feel, probably ideal for heavy metal parties, while the area nearest the door has a few tables and is almost normal by comparison. There are a couple of gaming machines. The landlord is rather eccentric, knowledgable and welcoming, while the clientele are a very mixed bag. There were 4 pumps on the bar, one dry. The other three dispensed Seafarer, which was in excellent condition, Staggeringly Good's Dawn Stealer, also in excellent condition, and a rather strange citrus beer from Urban, which may have been good but wasn't to my taste at all. A very 'different' pub, worth visiting for its beer quality.