Seven Stars, Brighton

This plush pub has been opened out a lot, to create a large single room with enough partitioning and changes in decor to still feel like a multi-room layout. The front part of the pub is an ornate bar area which has a bank conversion feel to it. Quarry stone flooring, a nice curved, panelled bar counter with a retro-style pot shelf and attractive bar back combine to give the place a semi-oppulent feel. There's a drinking ledge under the front windows, some high stools down the right-hand wall and a smart banquette along the left side, with lots of chairs in support. A great many potted plants fill the window sills and the walls are covered with glazed tiles and patterned wallpaper, with a decorative frieze around the top, gold coving and a patterned ceiling. Beyond is a bare boarded rear seating space with banquettes, including some formed into booths, around the perimeter and lots of small tables with low stools through the centre. A fireplace stands under a large plain mirror to the left, whilst the walls are decorated with butterfly paintings, art prints, more plants and some fancy wallpaper. A partitioning screen hides a rear dining space that sits beneath a very impressive skylight with many hanging baskets and some detailed rose designs around it. Chilled R&B tunes played quietly in the background and there was a modest crowd starting to build on my early evening visit. This is a Youngs house, but there was no cask ale on the bar, which came as a bit of a surprise. In its absence, the keg range had to make do, so I tried the Unbarred Casual Pale which poured very hazy and wasn't very nice. On the bright side, the barmaid was very friendly and gave a warm welcome to all customers. It's a shame that the pub was let down by a lack of ale and dubious keg alternatives, as I thought they'd done a good job of creating an attractive, modern pub with a few nice heritage features and an interior that would appeal to a wide range of customers. Having said that, Youngs ale probably wouldn't have improved my experience, so maybe this is as good as this place is going to get under its current ownership. Date of visit - 17th May 2024

Official site of Seven Stars - seven-stars.pub

Official site of Seven Stars - seven-stars.pub

Large open plan pub,a recurring theme on my visit yesterday was the absence of any cask beer, there was some reasonable craft options available from top independent brewers rather than the corparate stuff thats flooding the market. The bar staff seemed rather disinterested in general,although I didn't dislike the pub there was nothing about it to pull me back.