The Tap, Haywards Heath

Visited 15/03/26. Visited previously 21/04/23. Cask offering of Sonoma Track, North Garden Fields Best Bitter and Evening Star Revival APA. Keg offering of Sonoma Track, two from Liverpool brewery Azvex, the Magnificent Tree Frog session pale ale and the Plato's Cave stout, a couple of collabs between Beak and Two Flints, the Early Harvest Motueka and the Late Harvest Motueka, the Shapes in Shadows NEPA from Glasshouse and a collab of theirs with Deya namely the Croc Encounters of the Second Kind a DIPA and finally the festival lager from Burgess Hill brewery North Garden. Glass fronted shop conversion on the main shopping street in HH. There are a couple of small pavement tables out the front but inside it is ceramic tiled with some ledge seating at the front then larger tables and benches down the left-hand wall and then smaller tables served by a banquette along the right-hand wall with comfy leather chairs the other side thereof. The bar counter is in the rear right-hand corner with a couple of tall stools available to perch on. No screens, calming soft music very much background and a nicely decorated space. This is my favourite of the tap rooms in HH.

An excellent addition to Haywards Heath's meagre pub scene. I found 3 keenly priced cask ales (£4.40 / £4.60) as well as 8 kegs starting at just (!) £5.30. 2 of the casks were from Sussex (360 and Cloak & Dagger - their Komodo Bozo is more usually seen on keg), the 3rd from Twisted Wheel of Coventry. The kegs are dominated by nearby Bestens who have an interest in this venture. As already described, internally it's a simple enough room with plentiful tables, albeit with some reservations already in place. Cool, indie-influenced music was playing at moderate volume through the speakers. Friendly service added to the charm and the pub was slowly filling soon after opening. Good place that I'd happily return to.

The Tap is a micro with benches down the left hand wall and tables and chairs down the right. At the rear is a bar that supports four handpumps, three of which were in operation. Unbarred Morale IPA, 360 Bluebell and Brighton Bier South Coast IPA were the cask ale options during a recent Saturday visit. Eight craft keg beers were also available, as well as cans from a fridge adjacent to the bar. Friendly service and certainly worth a look.

Official site of The Tap - thetaphh.co.uk