Two of my favourite hobbies are watching comedy and sampling beer and so the fabulous Hastings Comedy Festival (held annually in June) offers the perfect opportunity to spend the weekend at the seaside and, of course, visit a few interesting pubs. It’s certainly easy enough to visit Hastings on a day return from London. Trains go direct from Charing Cross, London Bridge and Victoria or, with one change, from St Pancras. For a weekend trip, book advance tickets for best prices.
We popped into the following pubs over the course of a long weekend and, while these are not the only good pubs in Hastings, they are the ones we sampled. There were two others on my radar that I had particularly hoped to visit (the Crown and the Stag Inn) but, unfortunately, because of our busy schedule of comedy shows, there wasn’t time on this visit. You might also want to check out the local CAMRA website for reviews and recommendations to help plan your visit.
First up on our trip was Brewing Brothers where we sampled their beer at the busy Imperial branch, a corner plot on Queens Road/Nelson Road. This pub had a great selection of mostly keg beer, selling well, but we enjoyed their Last Out Pale (4% ABV on cask). There was a lively vibe, with outside seating and a younger mixed crowd enjoying home cooked pizza with their drinks. Maybe next time we will try their taproom and do a brewery tour. Along from here you’ll find a cosy micropub called Twelve Hundred Post Cards, with a traditional layout of tables against the walls. Here we sampled a Rother Valley Well Sprung (4.2% ABV). Upstairs they had art on display but, in the main bar, David was delighting his older customers by playing tracks ranging from the Damned to Mungo Jerry. There was a friendly local feel in here, with strangers bonding and reminiscing about music and great bands.
While on the subject of micros, I recommend the Jolly Fisherman on the sea front in the Old Town. It was so good that we went twice! On our first trip (early in the day; quiet vibe), Oliver served up Seafire Pale Ale from Swannay (Orkney) at 4% ABV, Grubby Bastard, a porter from Toroside (Derbyshire) at 6% ABV and the Media Blitz DIPA from Burning Sky at a whopping 8% ABV. The next day they had gone but, no fear, we had Mosaic Pale Ale GF (4.1% ABV) from Arbor (Bristol) and Tarquel bitter from Pomona Island (3.8% ABV). Both were excellent. It’s quite a small place, so don’t visit with too many of you at once! As with all micros, you need to check opening times carefully to avoid disappointment.
In the Old Town you will find the iconic Grade II-listed Ye Olde Pump House. On tap here were St Austell’s Cornish Best (3.4% ABV) and Harvey’s Best (4% ABV). On keg there was Brixton Reliance Pale Ale and Low Voltage Session IPA. The Albion nearby is also recommended for its good selection of real ales. There are many other pubs in the Old Town but, if you’re short of time, don’t miss out on the Jenny Lind. There is often live music here and a great range of beers (cask and keg) plus still craft ciders. We particularly enjoyed a local brew, Downlands Endless Circles (strong pale 5.4%), and Pig and Porters Skylarking IPA (4% ABV) from Kent. Long Man Best Bitter from East Sussex was also available.
Last, but by no means least, was the First Inn Last Out, which is at the end of town. They have their own range of FILO beers and we were spoilt for choice (Crofters best bitter, Hop Cat light pale ale, Cardinal porter, Gold premium ale and Churches pale ale). Those we sampled we really enjoyed, along with a splendid Sunday roast (booking recommended).
A trip to Hastings is always a treat. There are many festivals on throughout the year, so why not time your trip to enjoy one of them, as well as the beer; see here. There are also plenty of places to eat, to suit all pockets, but consider booking ahead, particularly at weekends. If you want a seafront walk, head towards the pier and then on to St Leonards on Sea. If it’s raining, there’s some undercover protection en route, using the iconic double promenade Bottle Alley. There’s a pub scene in St Leonards too but perhaps that’s an article for another day? Cheers!
Maria Freeman