The Coopers Arms, Crowborough

The Coopers Arms is in St Johns which is a suburban area made up of large houses to the north of Crowborough Town. This pub has restrictive opening hours, opening at 17:00 during my Thursday visit a couple of weeks ago. It was actually quite busy with well-healed locals who were enjoying some chat with the governor who seemed quite suspicious of me being from out-of-town. I counted four hand pumps, but I’d been on the lager all day so went for a pint of Hofmeister which was a bit tangy. On the right hand wall of this small L-shaped pub is a fireplace that is flanked with chopped logs piled almost to the ceiling either side of it. Bizarrely on my cold mid-winter visit candles sat in said fireplace because the central heating works just fine. A local pub for local people.

Official site of The Coopers Arms - coopersarmscrow.com

Official site of The Coopers Arms - coopersarmscrow.com

Inconspicuous pub in a suburban area on the western fringe of Crowborough, but handy for certain Ashdown Forest walks. Plain but attractive alehouse-style interior, with a wood-burner in a side room just off the main bar area. Four real ales on handpump: Gadd's No 3 and 5 (£4.30), Time Lapse from Good Chemistry and Thornbridge's Pica Pica. NB - Check opening times before visiting, because these are very restricted.