Country pubs

[BensGrandad]

No just dont agree that they should be in or near pubs unless eating and then should leave immediately afterwards. Remember I was brought up in the days when kids sat on a doorstep out of a pub with a glass of lemonade and an arrowroot biscuit. I think pubs should be for the over 21s only.

 

[Deanbha]

The beachy head pub looks ok. Am a little worried BensGrandad might come along and push my kids off the cliff though!

 

[Deanbha]

No just dont agree that theu should be in or near pubs unless eatring and then should leave immediately afterwards. Remember I was brought up in the days when kids sat on a doorstep out of a pub with a glass of lemonade and an arrowroot biscuit. I think pubs should be for the over 21s only.

In the old days.

 

[Scampi]

Five Bells at West Chiltington - a bit hard to find as it is located in a place called Smock Alley around the back of West Chilts but well worth it if you like a well kept pint - always five hand pumps to choose from. Mild is leg stump,followed by a Boys Bitter, Harveys Best on middle stump, a 4.2/4.3% next and a Strong e.g 4.5-5.0% on off stump.

Top Pub for the likes of me (No TV, no piped music, no teenagers). Landlord is a 3rd generation licensee and knows his beers inside out hence lots of CAMRA awards. Probably tolerate rather than welcome families I would say -You won't be made unwelcome but there are too many Beer Drinkers who use the place to for Bill & Joan change their ways!

Thanks for the warning. I'll know never to set foot in there. Sounds a really horrid reactionary place.

 

[Deanbha]

Thanks for the warning. I'll know never to set foot in there. Sounds a really horrid reactionary place.

I will second that.

 

[Scampi]

No just dont agree that theu should be in or near pubs unless eatring and then should leave immediately afterwards. Remember I was brought up in the days when kids sat on a doorstep out of a pub with a glass of lemonade and an arrowroot biscuit. I think pubs should be for the over 21s only.

Welcome to child friendly Britain.

 

[BensGrandad]

Why should all pubs be child friendly has it not dawned on people that there are a lot of people who go to a pub to have a break from children both theirs and others.

 

[Deanbha]

Why should all pubs be child friendly has it not dawned on people that there are a lot of people who go to a pub to have a break from children both theirs and others.

I do agree, i do like the fact majority of pubs are child free, but it is nice to have a choice of a family friendly pub.

 

[Scampi]

Yeah thats right you miserable fucker, there should be kid free pubs, with big signs outside saying "Only miserable senile piss stained old scroats welcome".

 

[BensGrandad]

The law that exists should be strictly administered pubs witha child certificate admit children, pubs without dont, with heavy penalties for infringement of the law. People who dont mind children go to the pubs with a certificate, people who dont go to the other pubs very easy. Everybody is covered as to their individual wishes.

 

[Deanbha]

Thats what the smoking ban should be like!

 

[BensGrandad]

Thats what the smoking ban should be like!

I agree but the legislation is already in place for a childs certificate which incidentally includes provisions of childrens toilets etc but not for smoking, nor is it anticpated to ever happen.

 

[The Spanish]

I will second that.

oh stop it both of you. a child friendly pub is just that, an adult place that is slightly more accomodating than usual to people with children. it does not mean it has to be thorpe f***ing park or a montessorri school with harveys on tap.

there are billions in sussex, just as there are billions of country pubs run by slightly sniffy rural oddballs who nevertheless bank the brightonian day trippers money at weekends.

 

[Deanbha]

oh stop it both of you. a child friendly pub is just that, an adult place that is slightly more accomodating than usual to people with children. it does not mean it has to be thorpe f***ing park or a montessorri school with harveys on tap.

there are billions in sussex, just as there are billions of country pubs run by slightly sniffy rural oddballs who nevertheless bank the brightonian day trippers money at weekends.

Still cannot find anywhere.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

The Griffin at Fletching is a great pub - slightly pricey but brilliant beer, food and location...plus it has a huge garden for the kids to run around in.

Star Inn at Waldron also used to be great for kids with a huge garden - not sure if it still is (http://www.starinn-waldron.co.uk/)

Both of the above have the advantage of being in great walking areas so the kids should be too knackered and happy to run around too much.

Avoid the Shepherd & Dog - went faily recently and had a poor, expensive meal served slowly by a grumpy owner. Crap - all my happy childhood ambling over the Dyke and drinking lemonade from the bottle through a straw on the steps of the S&D were shattered - avoid.

 

[jakarta]

Thanks for the warning. I'll know never to set foot in there. Sounds a really horrid reactionary place.

Well I won't be losing sleep about this - presumably you don't think the main purpose of Pubs is for drinking beer in the company of other adults and that they are not for children?

Sorry this is such a reactionary view - if you want to take your children to a place that welcomes them I believe there are several places called McDonalds which can cater for you....

 

[Deanbha]

Thank you TRHK.

 

[The Spanish]

Shepherd and Dog is in Fulking, and is not all that - same goes for the Royal Oak which is worse - really crap and crowds with "let's go to the country Sharon" types who think the couple of miles out of Brighton means they are really living large. Parking stinks and your car gets damaged every time.

The Fountain in Ashhurst, which is a (right) turning off the Steyning-to-Storrington road, or keep going through Storrington to Amberley, or further to Arundel for a pleasant afternoon (and next to the lake there's excellent roast lunch to be had, too).
Along the Seafront East there's East Dean where there's a nice low-ceiling and old-style pub there which serves a good pint.

there is a link between a country pubs closeness to brighton and its stuck up rural arseyness, in my opinion. the closure you get the more snobby they get. look at the f***ing swan as the classic example. technically in brighton and on a f***ing dual carriageway, but you would think (and this has been going on years long before the stadium business) that you had to be a 10th generation local to deserve to drink in there.

the juggs is another pet hate of mine, in that vein. the shepherd and dog is just unbearable, especially since the influx of Nu Brightonians who are discovering all this for the first time and citing it to their pals in putney as yet another reason they moved down to brighton zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

The pub at West Hoathly is the Cat. It has new owners (the chaps who used to run the Gravetye, so the food may be a bit pricey) and I think a garden, which I imagine kids would be welcome in. Not sure about inside the pub itself. The old owners were rather sniffy and didn't want children in the bar area (mind you they didn't want locals in there either; they were trying to turn it into some kind of yuppy dining hole). One place you could try is the Royal Oak at Hooksway, which is tucked right down a track into Westdean Woods, in the far west of the county. It's off the road from Chichester to South Harting (I think the B2146). That has a huge garden and I'm sure they must welcome children. The Crown at Storrington seemed to welcome children the last time I was in there. There is a play area, but I don't think it has a garden as such. The Halfway House on the A26 between Lewes and Uckfield is quite nice too.

 

[Jimbo26]

The Hikers Rest in Moulsecoomb is delightful.