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Date for PuG crawl in Cambridge. with Pangolin on the Pub Forum

The Pelham Arms, Lewes

High Street
Lewes
BN7 1XL
Phone: 01273476149

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


David Walton left this review about The Pelham Arms

Visited previously on 01/12/2018

As noted below this is a H&W. Have always regarded this as a dining venue on the road out of the town centre and carving up the Con Club and the Black Horse (what I would more regard as drinking venues). It has a nice interior and some outside space out the back popular on my early Friday evening visit.inside the bar area dominates with table, most set for diners around the perimeter.

The cask selection consisted of the Badger stalwarts of Tanglefoot and the Best Bitter with Old Rosie putting in an appearance.Quite a few taps with Superpale and Coming Up from local brewery Abyss. On the lager front there was Cruz, Heineken and their own Forum lager.they also had a keg Badger Hazy IPA seemingly called Outland (unless that was a colab) with Stowford Press the keg cider plus Guinness and perhaps surprisingly John Smiths. Not really the sort of demographic you would think would be partial to a pint of JS.

I’d have to rate the place as an above average even though Badger quaffs aren’t really near the top of my list of preferences. However, it is a very well kept and pleasant pub that has something for most that would enter the doors here. However, in my opinion, down the pecking order of places to drink in Lewes for sure. Perhaps that’s why I ticked this venue off 5.5years ago and haven’t been here just to drink again!

On 28th June 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


paulof horsham left this review about The Pelham Arms

It's a Hall & Woodhouse pub, so Tanglefoot was on the pumps, though this was the only cask choice on my visit; Rosie's Pig Cloudy Cider occupied another pump. The pub is also home to Abyss Brewery, so there's a couple of their modern craft keg beers to offer a bit of variety. The Badger Brewers usual keg options are also available. Drinks and snacks were brought to the table on my visit. Wouldn't come here for the Badger Best, even if it had been on, but the pint of Abyss Super Fuzz hazy pale slipped down a treat after traipsing round the town.

On 26th September 2021 - rating: 6
[User has posted 561 recommendations about 523 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Pelham Arms

Nicely refurbished Hall & Woodhouse pub with a sizeable opened-out interior, and surprisingly the coronavirus screens between the smaller tables nearest the bar actually seem to help. Doing good business on a Saturday evening, and I was lucky to get a seat. Anyway, just Badger Best (£4.00) and Rosie's Pig cider available from the four handpumps, but the one real ale was in good shape.

On 8th November 2020 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Graham Coombs left this review about Pelham Arms

A nice beamed old pub, perhaps a bit heavy on the food side but retaining a certain amount of character. the long room extends round the bar, with a semi-private room behind and a kitchen-type area to the side. Toad in the Hole is played and there is a garden at the rear. Originally a Tamplins pub according to the etched glass, beers are now from Hall & Woodhouse with Badger Best and Tanglefoot on handpump, along with Rosie's Pig cider. Abyss Brewing was founded on the site and their craft beers may also be available.

On 16th October 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3680 recommendations about 3615 pubs]


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Mark Davey left this review about Pelham Arms

Popped in to check what was on the bar and didn't stop as the only beer available was Badger so no review. Move on to the Black Horse for a great selection.

On 30th August 2012 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]


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Strongers . left this review about Pelham Arms

The Pelham Arms apparently dates from circa 1640 and retains the original beams and inglenook fireplace. Like many pubs in this fine land the management in this Hall and Woodhouse pub have taken it down the gastro route where locally sourced food can been purchased for prices that could have probably flown it several times around the Earth, but to be fair the pricing in this pub is no different to its peers. The left hand side of the pub has tables set for dining, but thankfully the right hand side where the bar is located retains a proper pub feel and I think that a good balance between dry and wet sales has been found. Two of the six hand pumps were off during my recent weekday lunchtime visit and surprisingly three of the hand pumps were all drawing Badger Best with the forth operating pump drawing Tanglefoot. Although the Tanglefoot was on top form I do think that two ales from six hand pumps is a little lazy.

I didn’t spot any TVs and there is certainly no Sky Sports, but a pool table is located to the right of the bar and the background music was welcoming. Children are permitted until 20:00 and from 20:00 on a Thursday there is live world music. There are a few picnic tables at the rear of the pub that were nice to sit at whilst the sun was shining.

I found the staff to be friendly and the beer good, but I do think that there are better choices in Lewes for ale choice and atmosphere. That said I would have no problem paying anther brief visit for a couple of pints of TF.

On 28th April 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 6134 recommendations about 6100 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


train man left this review about Pelham Arms

The only unwelcoming pub on our, otherwise, fantastic Lewes crawl. For the other 9 pubs visted I could wax lyrical about the astonishingly high standard of Lewes beer (mostly the superb Harveys, obviously)coupled with friendly greetings, but for the Pelham, alas, I cannot, since the morose and intransigent landlady refused to serve us (us being four 45-60yr olds looking only to enjoy good beer in peace!). I'll give it 1/10 for a cleanish looking bar, but I won't be putting the place on the list next time I'm in Lewes - too many great pubs to waste time at the Pelham.

On 5th October 2006 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]