The Harrow Inn, St. Leonards-On-Sea

Shepherd Neame pub atop the hill leading down to the sea at Hastings and St Leonards. The bar and main seating area are in the taller part of the building, with the sizeable, L-shaped dining area to the left in a lower (but hardly new) extension. Modernised throughout, although it retains a semi-traditional look inside. Spitfire and the seasonal Maverick (£4.40) being dispensed from two of the three handpumps.

Official site of The Harrow Inn - www.theharrowinnhastings.co.uk

Official site of The Harrow Inn - www.theharrowinnhastings.co.uk

The Harrow Inn is located in Baldslow which is just off the A21 in the North of St Leonards. The area is made up of road junctions, car showrooms and a Sainsbury’s superstore which probably explains why this pub has a large car park and has gone down the dry sales route. The larger left hand side of the pub has been turned into a table service restaurant leaving a small bar area to the right which I imagine turns into a ‘waiting to dine’ area during busy periods. There are a couple of plasma screens that were showing advertisements for the pub and a piano sits next to an inglenook. There was some very low background music and I saw some random live music nights advertised which included having dinner. This is a Shepherd Neame pub so their usual draught range was available and the three hand pumps were drawing Master Brew, Spitfire and Old Hooky. I asked the young barman for half a Hooky and he had to get the manageress to pour it as he and the other two young lads standing next to him didn’t know how to do it. To be fair they are probably great at laying tables, but I would have thought that a monkey could pour half a pint of beer into a glass. I found it rather dull in here and would walk past if in the area again.