Barley Mow, Brighton

A slightly grumpy barmaid and a pint of Salopian Oracle on the turn made my visit to this quiet neighbourhood pub less pleasurable than I'd hoped. I noted 2 Long Man ales plus a cider on the other pumps. The food offer was primarily Pieminster pies. The pub was fairly quiet on an early spring afternoon with a noticeable musty damp smell while the windows looking out onto St Georges Road definitely need some work doing. I think I'll pass on by next time.

I'm not sure I really formed an opinion about the Barley Mow on my brief New Year's Day visit. I went in eight pubs on the day, and this was one of three that charged me £2.20 for a half (black mark). There are five hand pumps, with a cider and three ales available: Rother Valley Exit, Gun Milk Stout, and another whose pump clip was too difficult to read in the light of the candles which stood on every table. The tables were sticky (no beer mats) and placed too close together, so that I had to move to let someone sit at the table behind me. On the positive side, there was some interesting music playing on the sound system, and the beer was good. I'm not sure I would revisit in expectation of an overall positive experience - perhaps I need to revisit in order to form an opinion. Date of visit: 1st January 2017

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Very much in the alehouse style, this pub has a fairly cramped interior filled with heavy rustic furniture. The decor in the two-part bar is restrained but more modern. A covered area of about equal size cam also be found out back. Four real ales - including Wadworth Horizon (£4.10) - and a cider from the five handpumps.