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Beer of the Week (w/e 2nd August 2026) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by paulof horsham
Submitted on Sunday, 14th July 2024
With picture contributions to 7346 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (11 more images)
Detail Pages
The Colonnade, Brighton
Brighton
BN1 1UF
Served areas
Reviews of The Colonnade (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Moby Duck left this review about The Colonnade
A very busy, sizable theatre bar, Harveys Sussex Best the only cask option a nicely presented building inside and out well described previously, despite some visually plus points, as a pub it's not my cup of tea.
On 2nd August 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2374 recommendations about 2338 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Colonnade
A gorgeous little high-camp Victorian bar adjoining the Theatre Royal and decorated with playbills and photos accordingly. Velvet furnishings and drapes, with many mirrors and glasswork, all under a red moulded ceiling. The sort of place you might expect a chap in a top hat and cape, sporting a cane. Outside there is a fenced-off area of tables, partly under the colonnade itself. Four handpumps offered ales from Long Man and Goldmark, with Doom Bar 'coming soon', plus a cider. Probably a bit chaotic around performances but very pleasant at other times.
On 13th November 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4003 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Colonnade
The Colonnade is the theatre bar for the Georgian Brighton Theatre Royal next door. Externally it still has the traditional 1920s green tiled outside décor and stands out well against the modern development of New Road.
Internally it is one long narrow room with the Edwardian bar down the left hand side, the decorative features of which match the exterior façade. These include arched framed mirrors and a small glass panel at the centre painted with Britannia figure trade mark and then brass rails that line both the top and bottom of the carved counter. Then on the right hand wall opposite the bar there is a row of lamp-illuminated timber framed mirrors, having the overall effect of making the room appear larger than it actually is. The décor is very theatrical as you would expect with a red plaster ceiling with cornices and an etched glass insert by the entrance door, lots of red velvet seating and curtains and several thespian posters and photographs of actors and actresses past and present who have appeared at the theatre, and then looking out from the central projecting window bay into the street outside is ‘Willie’ an antique automated mannequin dressed for the theatre in top hat and tails, carrying a cane.
Fortunately I too visited this one when there wasn’t a performance going next door, and it was a quiet, voluptuously comfortable place to sit and have a beer. And especially, unlike other theatre bars which are on the second or third floors of theatres the Colonnade provides more than standard drink options and there are four ale and cider pumps on the bar which for my visit were dispensing Fullers London Pride, WJ King Brighton Best, Hepworth Brewery Prospect and Westerns Old Rosie cloudy Scrumpy.
This is a fine example of a traditional theatre bar external to the theatre, the like of which has long disappeared from London. So if you get the chance pop in to look at the décor and have a drink if you manage to catch it when it’s not full of theatre goers..
On 27th June 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2359 recommendations about 2204 pubs]
View more reviews of The Colonnade (4)
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - The Colonnade Bar
- Twitter - The Colonnade
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Colonnade - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Beer Garden : Yes - pavement patio - last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Car Park : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Darts : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Function Room : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Hot Food : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Jukebox : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Karaoke : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Micropub : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Pinball : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Pool Table : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Quiz Night : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
- WiFi : Yes last updated 13 November 2018 by Graham Coombs
