The Long Man, Brighton

Another remarkable pub in the same ownership as the Ladies Mile, and seemingly built about the same time, though it hasn't qualified for Camra's inventory of heritage interiors. There is plenty of lovely wood panelling and leaded glass in the windows and doors, but perhaps too much is reproduction. Two entrance doors from the central porch, but internally there's no longer much difference, the room to the left having a pool table with a black cloth, and there's a very small alcove or snug, where the darts board is situated. Two beers on, Harvey's Sussex Best and Long Man Blonde. My half of the Sussex was an oddity: a few bubbles tickled the tongue but on the swallow was a banana-ish taste (NBSS 2.5).

Official site of The Long Man Of Wilmington - thelongmanpub.co.uk

Official site of The Long Man Of Wilmington - thelongmanpub.co.uk

The Long Man of Wilmington is named after a hill figure located on the steep slopes of the nearby Windover Hill that is seen by all that travel between Brighton and Eastbourne on the train or A27. The interior of the pub has a public bar to the left and the bar joins this up with a lounge bar to the right. A huge pool table and a dartboard can be found in the public bar along with two projector screens and a plasma screen for showing Sky Sports. The lounge bar couldn’t be any different as it is a comfortable space with no televisions and nice furniture along with a piano that is used on the odd evening. The bar is stocked with standard draught and last night (Saturday) the two banks of three hand pumps were drawing Harvey’s Best, Dark Star’s Hophead and Adnam’s Broadside. A Thai menu is available Monday through to Saturday during lunchtimes and early evening and free delivery is available within a two mile radius. On Sunday between midday and 18:00 Alice opens up the kitchen for some traditional Sunday fayre. At the rear of the pub is a beer garden that consists of a small concrete area with a table and awning that is utilised on rainy days for the smokers. To the right are a few picnic tables on some plastic turf and up some steps to the rear are some more picnics on some real grass. This is certainly a pub of two halves, but I felt more than welcome in both sides and the service was friendly and polite. I would have no problem returning for another well served pint of Hophead.