The Smugglers, Pevensey

The Smugglers Inn was very quiet with only two couples present when I visited early on Wednesday evening. One of these couples left as I walked in and the other couple were drinking coffee in front of the large inglenook with log fire crackling away. There was some background music playing of the sort you find at the end of a wedding reception when everyone has had a little too much to drink and the usually rowing couples start getting a bit soppy, Phil Collins has a lot to answer for! There is a dartboard on the far wall and also a plasma screen that was turned off whilst a football match was on ITV, so I guess that they do not feel the need to subscribe to Sky Sports. On the way to the toilet I discovered that the beams in the ceiling get very low and I had to duck my head. Maybe they are covered in fairy lights to highlight them in the dimly lit bar. Three of the four hand pumps on the bar were being used and the available ales were Master Brew, Bishops Finger and Spitfire. After waiting a couple of minutes at the bar for a member of staff to appear I was served a decent pint of Guinness from the usual range of SN draught products which include such classics as Holsten Export, Asahi and Oranjeboom. Behind a door to the right of the bar area there is a separate restaurant with tables set for dining and the main meals seemed to be around the £10 mark, but this was empty during my visit. The Smugglers is also a Bed and Breakfast and is child friendly with a large adventure playground out the back where there is also a beer garden. There is also plenty of off street parking at the rear. This is a nice pub, but due to the lack of customers there was no atmosphere and I didn’t stay long as I started to nod off. Also, a little later in the evening whilst I was in the Heron up the road I heard a couple of locals moaning that the Smugglers had closed early again so they are obviously closing when there are no customers. I will give this place another go at a busier time and hopefully it will be a little more interesting.

Historic inn with a reasonably sized bar that appears to have been partially refurbished a few decades ago in what they probably thought at the time to be a modern style. Also has quite a large restaurant area down a couple of steps on the other side of the front door. Pleasant beer garden out back, with a separate childrens play area. Three of the four handpumps on when I visited, offering Master Brew, Bishops Finger and a top-quality pint of Spitfire at £3.00. Overall, listening to a decent blues band playing outdoors in the late summer sunshine with an excellent pint in hand, it's hard to think of a better way to spend part of a bank holiday afternoon.

Official site of the Smugglers Inn, contains menu and event listing - www.smugglerspevensey.co.uk

Official site of the Smugglers Inn, contains menu and event listing - www.smugglerspevensey.co.uk

The well known Smugglers Inn is under new management from January 2010 undergoing some alterations and looking to provide some excellent food options from Mid February 2010 - get yourselves along and sample what the new force behind the bar and kitchen have to offer

The Smugglers, formerly the New Inn, is a 15th century alehouse with open log fires, wooden beams and a huge childrens' wooden castle playground at the rear. Great food,Shepherd Neame ales, including Bishops finger, Late Red and winter Porter