The New Inn, Hastings

Village pub with quite a plain facade and an unexpectedly light, refurbished interior with semi-modern furniture except around the bar area. Large side dining area with a further dining room in an extension beyond. Lakedown English Pale (£4.50) available from one of the three handpumps, with a pair of Timothy Taylor beers on the others: Boltmaker and (very unusually in this part of the world) Dark Mild. The friendly welcome and a landlord interested in his real ale help here.

The New Inn has an L shaped interior with a bar that runs along the right-hand wall. This bar faces seating situated at the front of the pub and along the left-hand wall that adjoins a conservatory extension. Out the back is a paved beer garden that leads to an enclosed decked seating area. To the right of the pub is a car park. Back inside the pub there was some low background music playing and the TV was off with no signs for live sport during a recent Friday afternoon visit. Available from the bar was a standard and premium keg range. I counted six hand pumps, but two of these were unused leaving Fullers London Pride, Old Dairy Brewery’s Uber Brew, Pig & Porter Brewery’s All the Small Things and New Inn House, which is a rebadged Long Man Brewery Ale – Probably Best Bitter. I found the service to be polite at first, but the bar counter is extremely wide and little effort was made to pass my drink and change to a point where I could reach without stretching and moving bar stools. The bar was empty, and I’m bang on 6ft tall, so I took this as being a deliberate act – heaven knows why. Food is available during lunch and dinner service, prices for mains on the specials board started at £13. The pub opens its doors at noon and there is early closing (10pm) Sunday to Tuesday and a half hour extension until 11:30 on Saturdays. I prefer a traditional boozer with pool, darts and football so I found this place to be far too food centric for my liking. I’ll not be stopping off here again anytime soon.

Official site of The New Inn - www.newinnwestfield.com

Official site of The New Inn - www.newinnwestfield.com