The Brewers Arms, Lewes

A shabby place but with a decent range of beers. Unfortunatly although perfectly fit to drink, my Harveys was a little cloudy, as were a couple of the brews of my companions. Big open front room with a pink cieling and numerous obscure beer bottles on the plate rack. The bench seating under the windows could do with re-upholstering as the springs had gone where I was sitting. Fairly busy on a Saturday lunch with lots of Brighton fans pre loading before the match. Never went in the back or used the toilets as it was our first pub of the day.

A proper freehouse, this is an old Overton & Page pub from 1906 – note the Shirley brewery windows and architects drawings inside. Five of the seven handpumps in use (Arbor, Dark Star and Harveys the breweries available) plus Biddendon cider. My Arbor was fine as was the Dark Star. Two rooms inside of distinctly differing character; the front room is the preserve of the eccentrics and CAMRA-types and sports a chintzy décor. The darker rear room is set up to cater for lads, it was showing Premiership footy on big screen during my visit with pool and darts also available here. There’s a basic sun trap garden down a few steps to rear. Toilets are possibly the smallest I have encountered, indeed the Gents has what I think might be the smallest sink in the pub world and a goldfish would take exception is his bowl was that small. Staff were notably friendly. Newspapers and board games available (and a Monopoly board mounted on the wall for some reason!). Pub opens before midday so an ideal starting point for a crawl of the town. I liked this one and it’d be towards the top of the list next time.

Just to update my 2009 review, little has changed and this is still a very good pub, well run and serious about it's ales. I ate here this time and the food was good with big portions.

Decent town pub, the front bar is comfortable with upholstered banquete seating, high shelves with old bottles, beer trays, clock etc, decorated with pics of old Lewes, display of clay pipes and a nice touch, the old plans of the building showing the original multi room layout. One complaint, it was very warm in the front room, nice day outside but no need for heating. The rear saloon bar was livelier, sport on the big screen, pool and darts going on. The selection was, Harveys Best, Armada, Salopian Matrix, Hammerpot Madgewick Gold, Cairngorm Trade Winds and Biddenden Kentish cider. Coming soon are Dark Star Festival and Faversham Whitstable Creek. One pump was unclipped, another reversed. A fine pub, clean and tidy, nice to see tables wiped and cleared straightaway as punters left. Note the "Page and Overton's Croydon Ales" badging next to the main entrance door.

One of the better pubs in Lewes, a genuine free house with 6 changing beers, Bidenden Cider and a number of bottled beers. Everywhere you look there is something of interest, from the carved wooden fireplace, local prints and old bottles and trays on a shelf running around the front bar. There are reference books, newspapers and board games available plus maps and leaflets for local attractions. The back bar is more lively with a loud juke box, dartboard and pool table. Sporting prints adorn the walls including an interesting framed display of spent, or I assume they were, bullets and cartridges.

This place was very busy during my recent visit, so much so that I couldn't get to the bar, but thankfully the nice barmaid spotted me and I was served promptly. She even brought my Guinness over to my table once it had settled and been topped up which I found very thoughtful. I noticed eight hand pumps on the bar and although three were not being used Harveys Best, two guest ales and Biddenden cider were all available. I sat at the front of the pub, but I did wander around to the back and spotted a pool table and dartboard along with a plasma screen and projector for showing Sky Sports. I liked it in here and would definitely return if in the area again.

A genuine free house, with several ales offered (including Harveys - well, this is Lewes). The front bar is carpeted and somehow lacked atmosphere. The gents toilet is so cramped as to suggest that it was added as an afterthought!