The Kings Arms, Crowborough

Fine old village pub with a partly tile-hung façade and an impressive old fireplace in the front bar. The extended rear bar is now more of a dining area, but both are furnished and decorated in the expected traditional style. Two Harvey's beers - Sussex and an early appearance of the seasonal Old Ale (£4.20, and in excellent shape) - together with the Project Babylon pale ale from Gun Brewery on the three handpumps.

I wasn’t sure if the Kings Arms was open when I visited Rotherfield just after lunch on a recent midweek afternoon. There was one car and an empty burger van in the large car park and the pub sign was advertising the next quiz dated November 2011. I couldn’t see any signs of life as I noted the nice views and traffic noise in the rear garden. Around the front of the pub are another couple of picnic tables on the path of the small high street and I must say that I was surprised that the front door opened when I pushed it. I wasn’t surprised to find that I was the only customer and I had to wait a minute or two for the manager to become aware of my presence. Once I was finally seen the welcome was friendly and the Doom Bar ok, but expensive at £3.60 a pint. The other two hand pumps were both sporting Harvey’s Best clips and there is a standard draught selection alongside Amstel. Food is served during lunch periods and early evening and roasts are available between midday and 17:00 on Sundays. The pub is made up by three sections which includes a restaurant area at the rear. There is a comfortable seating area in the centre of the pub with access to the bar and a log fire that was crackling away. The front area of the pub is more like a public bar with a pool table and a dartboard. The plasma screen on the window ledge was off and I didn’t see any sports advertised, although there was a fixture list on the wall for the resident woman’s dart team. A projector screen was rolled up on the wall, but the projection unit was missing from the ceiling. There was some background music playing with no signs of any modern chart dross. I’d have no problem returning here for another pint if I found myself back in this pleasant village.