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The Partridge, Horsham
Partridge Green
Postal town: Horsham
RH13 8JS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Partridge
Once the tap for Dark Star, this corner pub in the centre of Partridge Green is now somewhat disappointing.
There is an undercover area adjacent to the pub that was favoured by a handful of diners, whilst most customers were in the open garden area, enjoying the sunshine. The garden also has a kid's play area.
Service was efficient enough, but the ale selection was not particularly adventurous. Dark Star Hophead is still a regular ale. Guests were Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & Timothy Taylor Landlord.
On 14th May 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Partridge
I was somewhat dismayed to find that this place is no longer run by the nearby Dark Star brewery. The layout doesn't seem to have changed much but soon after I entered the public bar area there were a group of older locals talking about watching the cricket on the TV. However, after the arrival of a scouse bloke who looked like Michael McIntyre with a grey syrup the sound was turned up with a football game showing for the scouser who was only drinking tea or coffee. Just what is the point of TV Sport? All the old geezers were knocking back pints of Hophead.
I left the public area after a while to get away from the TVs and something to eat. The food was pretty typical pub grub, not the best but a very long way from being the worst.
Five beers were available all served from the lounge bar, Dark Star Hophead & American Pale Ale, Harvey's Sussex Best, London Pride and Castle Rock Elsie Mo. I went for the Hophead (£3.35), Sussex Best (£4.00) and APA (£3.75). It transpired that the Elsie Mo had gone off so they turned the clip (NB: JDW).
The hophead was in first class condition, the APA pretty good and the Sussex Best good. I'm leaving the score the same as the overall beer quality was better but it's a shame about the Sky Sports and London Pride.
Visit July 2014
This former Whitbread pub used to be adjacent to Partridge Green Station on the line from Horsham through here that continued along the Adur Valley to Shoreham and then Brighton via the current line. Dark Star took it over from whatever rubbish failing pubco had it after they moved their brewery here a few years ago.
There is a daytime hourly bus (No 17) between Horsham and Brighton that passes the door, so it is relatively easy to get to. The stop for this bus in either direction is diagonally across the road back from the pub but inexplicably the times displayed are those for Henfield and Cowfold.
There are two bars both each with a bank of four hand pumps. I opted for the smaller "public" bar which had the only carpeted area with the rear part of it dominated by a pool table and a decent looking darts throw. The larger "saloon" bar is bare boarded and includes a dining area away from the bar. An odd thing was that they seemed to be using a mixture of oversized lined glasses and normal brim measure ones. This meant that some of my pints were over a pint which I looked upon as a result.
Only Dark Star beers were available on my visit and there was a total of six. These were Art Of Darkness, Hophead, Partridge Best, American Pale, Trial Brew (Citrus and Wheat) and Le IPA. Prices were £3.20 for the low ABV beers and £3.70 for the stronger ones with the experimental brew having a "trial" price of £3.10. I tried five of the six and somehow they didn't taste quite as good as I expected them to. As none of them were crystal clear I can only put this down to the lines needing cleaning. They certainly weren't cloudy it was nothing more than a very slight haze, but the hoppiness of the beers had something of a blunt edge. I'm afraid to say that I have had their beers in better condition in London Spoons. What a shame and if I'm correct in my theory about the lines, so easy to correct.
It's a far pleasanter place to drink than the tiny and rather manic Evening Star in Brighton. I just hope that the issue I had with the beer gets sorted out as this is a pub I would happily visit again. Given the odd situation with the mixed glasses I wonder if it needs to be managed better.
On 5th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Sheppard left this review about The Partridge
Great pub, friendly staff, fantastic beer.
Just troops of kids running back and forth all the time and very poor accoustics. Even partly empty, it was hard to hold a conversation without shouting.
On 20th May 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 192 recommendations about 192 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Partridge
5 months or so after Dark Star Brewery took over, I decided it was high time I checked out The Partridge and I am happy to report that everything seems to be going very well here. The pub has obviously been refurbished and everything in the three drinking areas is still shiny and clean. I didn't venture as far as the garden, but I'm sure that standards will be just as high outside.
I didn't stop for food, but I can report that the beer is exceptionally good. Obviously Dark Star beers feature strongly, but pump clips behind the bar suggest that guests are sourced from the top echelons of the micro scene (Thornbridge, Otley, Ramsgate for example). My pint of Saison was notable not just for its great taste but also for being served at just the right temperature for a summer's day. A font for Kozel lager has been installed, but you won't find the likes of Carling or Stella.
Locals and visitors make themselves at home: some are clearly from the brewery just minutes away, so we should be able to count on continuing high quality.
You may well have to make a bit of an effort to get here but I can advise that it's well worth the effort.
On 25th July 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard English left this review about The Partridge
I had intended to wait for a while before commenting about the new publicans and the changed pub, now that Dark Star have taken over. However, the changes are so good and so significant that I felt it better not to wait.
Gone are the serried ranks of lager fonts - leaving just one for those whose palates have not yet matured enough to appreciate proper beer. Instead there are eight beer engines, all dispensing good beer. Yesterday there were nine beers on offer, including a brand new Dark Star brew - Hophead Citra, They also had a locally brewed mild and a locally brewed Porter.
From being a very lack-lustre pub it has become one of the finest around insofar as beer is concerned. I can't yet comment about the food as the kitchen has still to be commissioned and staffed.
Watch this space.
On 26th February 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard English left this review about The Partridge
The present tenants, Clive and Dawn, are leaving on 21 February 2011 and the pub will be closed from then until 25 February. That evening it will reopen as a Dark Star house under the tenancy of Rob and Vicky. Dark Star are brewing a new beer to celebrate the occasion - Hophead Citra.
I will report back once the pub has been running for a while and I am able to give an informed opinion.
On 17th February 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard English left this review about The Partridge
Sadly I have to report that this pub has deteriorated greatly over the past year or so - starting when the present tenants decided to sell. Although the sale is going through, at present they are in the interregnum period, made all that more protracted by the shennanigans of the legal eagles (or should I say, vultures) and are thus very down in the dumps.
Presently the pub has no food, no fire, no atmosphere and few customers (although it still does have decent London Pride).
I will report back as and when things change - the Dark Star takeover is still "pending".
On 14th January 2011
- rating: 2
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Richard English left this review about The Partridge
Although rumours abound, The Partridge is still (September 2010) only selling Fuller's London Pride and the same Landlords are in place.
As it is an Enterprise pub it seems unlikely that much will improve unless and until someone buys the freehold from them. It is not, of course, the tenants' fault - very few can run an especially good and profitable pub with Enterprise as their landlords.
On 10th September 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Colin Gooch left this review about The Partridge
The Partridge is about to start selling Dark Star beers as the brewery has now moved its operations to Partridge Green - also understand that new landlords are iminent
On 6th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 60 recommendations about 57 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Colin Gooch left this review about The Partridge
Extensively renovated both inside and out - The Partridge is a delightful village pub offering a warm welcome to locals, visitors, walkers, cyclists and dogs!
Exceptionally well kept London Pride and a tasty menu with light bites from £3.95 to wonderful burgers. Salads are crisp and fresh and the home made coleslaw delicious. (Be patient if you order food as it is freshly prepared!).
Pub offers - outside patio seating and a secure 'dog free' garden with childrens play area. Pub itself offers pool table, darts, fruit machine and substantial juke box
On 2nd May 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 60 recommendations about 57 pubs]