The Lewes Arms, Lewes

In a narrow back street near Lewes Castle is The Lewes Arms, a pub which, according to a sign outside, dates back to circa 1798. A striking curved frontage, on the bend in the road, leads into a compact three roomed pub with a small basic locals bar – imaginatively named “The Front Bar” – as you come in on the right hand side which features several bar stools and a fixed wooden bench seat under the window. On the wall a display cabinet features several small pipes found during excavations in 1989 and which are believed to date back to the 1830’s. The wall also features a prominent painting of the Lewes Coat of Arms. Several framed photographs show Lewes racecourse, which closed back in 1964. Behind this room, but served from the same bar, is a slightly larger room which features traditional benches, circular tables and stools packed as close together as is reasonably possible. In this room is the usual large Fuller Smith and Turner mirror over a fireplace. Of interest in this room is the crest of H M S Lewes, a 4 stack destroyer which saw active service during the World Wars. Note also the large collection of whiskies on the back window ledge. The largest room is on the left of the central corridor and service to this room is from a hatch in this corridor to the main bar. In this room are standard tables and chairs. The walls are decorated with some people playing pub games outside the pub and also some photos of the famed Bonfire Night festivities. Note also the painting of The Basketmakers Arms, a former Gales pub in Brighton. This room is popular with diners, but room is still found for a dartboard and a Toad in the Hole game. In overall terms, it’s a fine traditional pub, pleasingly free of games machines and music, although I did feel that, principally due to the cream coloured walls, the interior felt a bit bright. There’s further seating upstairs in a room which doubles up as a function room. Here we see part of the riding tackle used by the former Beards Brewery dray horses. On the same level, at the back, is a pleasant roof terrace set flush against the castle walls. Formerly a Greene King pub, it’s now owned by Fullers, although, pleasingly, in this historic part of town, the external branding is discreet and there’s a notable absence of any “corporate” pub feel. As part of a reciprocal trading agreement between Fullers and Harveys, The Lewes Arms stocks Harveys Best and The Royal Oak in Borough – Harvey’s first London pub – stocks a Fullers beer. On my recent visit, as well as the Fullers brews and Harveys Best, Adnams Ghostship and Castle Rock Harvest Pale Ale were on. The Harveys Best was in good form and the pub is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular. Probably because it’s in Lewes, the Harveys Best was easily the best seller, with the one pump working overtime to keep up with demand, with several of the Fullers pumps virtually redundant. Staff are keen and enthusiastic with, on my visit, one youngish lad going way beyond the call of duty in recommending other Lewes pubs to visiting Wednesday fans coming back from Brighton It’s a fine pub this, striking a fine balance between catering for the numerous visitors to Lewes, yet still appealing to the traditional pub goer. This is one pub definitely not to miss on any Lewes crawl.

The Lewes Arms is a compact, multi-roomed back street pub, with an attractive curved façade and a convenient location close to the castle. The pub gained a bit of notoriety back in 2006-07 when the locals took on the Greene King brewery, to whom the pub was then tied, after Greene King’s bizarre decision to stop selling Harvey’s Best. A boycott of the pub was arranged, which saw the pub’s sales fall by 90% and a lot of negative publicity generated in the media, eventually forcing the Suffolk brewers into a U-turn. The pub has since been taken over by Fuller’s and is run by the former landlord of the Basketmakers Arms in Brighton. You enter into a corridor, with a small bar area immediately to your right. This is a very basic space without tables – just a few bar stools and a bench seat under the front window. The Lewes coat of arms, which can also be found on the pub’s sign, has been painted on the end wall to quite good effect. The bar also serves a second room behind, which has some padded benches and low stools in a wooden floored space. There is a fireplace with a burner in it on one wall, a large collection of whisky boxes and a shelving unit in the corner which holds a mix of books and trophies, including one which is presented to the Lewes Arms Pea Throwing Champion – an annual event held at the pub. To the left of the corridor there is the largest room which, on my visit, was full of people enjoying their lunch from the reasonable menu. The seating is mainly standard tables and chairs, with a nice fireplace on the back wall, more whisky boxes and a dartboard and toad in the hole table. There are pump clips dotted all over the pub, but no single coherent collection seems to have been assembled yet. On the bar, Harvey’s Best is still very much present and, based on my observations, still selling well. This was available alongside Fuller’s London Pride and Bengal Lancer, Gales HSB and Seafarers, Butcombe Bitter and Moles Best. I was a bit disappointed with the latter, although the conditioning was fine. I also enjoyed a nice, well filled bacon and brie sandwich for around a fiver. This pub might be tied to a major brewery, but it has managed to retain its own sense of identity, much like the aforementioned Basketmakers Arms, I suppose. I really enjoyed this one and would mark it out as one of the essential stop off points on a visit to Lewes.

The Lewes Arms is a small but perfectly formed corner boozer. We were in just after lunch and the 6 of us managed to find seats in the tiny front bar. There was a good selection of brews on the bar and as I had already tried offerings from Harveys, I went for the London Pride, which whilst perfectly drinkable could have done with being a bit clearer. Nice locals and bar staff made us welcome, chatting about beer and the pub. as we finished our pints, we decided on a quick game of toad in the Hole and although we didn't know the rules, an enjoyable half hour was spent making up our own rules and chucking the brass discs into the hole in the lead. A must do beer location in Lewes, would call again if in town.

Having been a couple of times, I can advise that lunchtimes are fairly quiet, and you'll be hard-pressed to know what all the fuss is about in this well-regarded back-street pub. You'll get a table to yourself to contemplate your beer from the Fuller's range, Harvey's Sussex or occasional guest. Evenings are a different matter, however, when the place really comes alive with a real buzz of locals coming and going. Seats are at a bit of a premium, but the whole atmosphere is good-natured and lively. Food will still be served till 8.30 or 9.00, which is a bonus in a picturesque town low on nationwide chains. If you're in Lewes for beer, you'll probably have it on your list, and rightly so.

This place made the headlines a few years ago when Greene King, in a fit of pig-headed arrogance, tried to remove the Harveys Best from the pub. So of course a visit here was nailed-on. It’s up the hill just behind the castle and the attractive curved exterior (it sits on a narrow backstreet corner) gives way to a corridor and rambling multi-room layout off it. There’s an upstairs room up some creaky stairs with a stage and nicely decked sun terrace. These days the pub is owned by Fullers and in the front bar there were seven pumps dispensing six ales, two clipped with Harveys Best, four from Fullers and an Okells guest. I tried an Okells (sacrilege!) which was OK but I’ve had better. Rooms are decorated with pictures old Lewes, beer mats and pump clips. One of the rooms houses a dart board and the local’s favourite game, Toad in the Hole. In the theatre room upstairs previous productions put on here are documented on the walls. There’s a bawdy panto every year I understand. Just a brief visit due to time constraints but there was enough beer and character to bring me back again.