The Snowdrop Inn, Lewes

With the nearby Beak Brewery Taproom closed, we headed to the Snowdrop, which was my favourite pub in Lewes when I last visited this end of town back in the summer of 2016. The pub has gone drastically downhill since then. 5 years ago there were 6 real ales and a real cider. On this visit, there was just Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & Burning Sky Plateau, with no real cider. I opted for the Beak Parade from keg, which was an eyewatering £7.50 per pint. The interior of the pub is still very nice, but not as popular as the last time I came. With a much reduced beer selection and exorbitant pricing, I can see why.

The building itself isn't anything particularly remarkable but the setting catches the eye with the pub backing on to white chalk cliffs. Inside as noted before is quite quirky, a quality I quite enjoy in a pub, plenty of oddments on the walls and hanging from the ceiling, the bar front boldly painted would not look out of place on a narrow boat and indeed there were a couple of knitted dolls of Rosie and Jim sat on a nearby piano. Seven handpumps and beer line up much more up my street than the bulk of Harveys dominated Lewes,Five beers were on from Siren, Pig & Porter , Gun, Wild Beer and Burning Sky, the Aurora from the latter was a decent drop.Certainly a pub worthy of returning to.

I missed this one when I was in Lewes nearly five years ago, so when my cycling route to the South Downs youth hostel took me near enough to give me the excuse, I decided to call in. (Getting out of Lewes again was another matter.) I have to say I was not as impressed as I had hoped to be. Perhaps it was being there on a Monday afternoon, after what may have been a heavy weekend. Suffice to say there were only two ales and a cider on the row of handpumps (sorry, didn't count them), these being Harveys Sussex Best and Burning Sky Plateau. Having said that, the Sussex was in good condition though very expensive on my scale of reckoning: £2.15 for a half. Despite all this griping I thought this was a very nice pub that, if I lived in Lewes, would be frequently visited.

Excellent traditional pub on a road now bypassed by the nearby Cuilfail Tunnel. Very characterful 'U'-shaped interior full of pictures, breweriana and diverse knick-knacks, and the sculpted metal creatures on the outside are worthy of note. Also has an upstairs room, accessed by a narrow spiral staircase (or ordinary steps at the back if you don't fancy the challenge). Features a small patio on one side, and a larger beer garden on the other. Decent selection from six of seven handpumps - including the seasonal Harvey's Bonfire Boy in addition to the inevitable Best - but I went for the Burning Sky Plateau (£3.80). Given its quirky nature, it comes as no surprise to find that it is home of the legendary South Street Bonfire Society.