November 2024. Rye.
A lunchtime crawl in Rye timed to end just before the 14:53 back to the harbour; I’d wanted to introduce Mrs RM to the singular joys of the Hope Anchor hotel,
but signs saying “NO HARVEY’S” and “NO GUINNESS” rather put off even the least fussy drinkers (us).
So we headed down the cobbles,
ignored the tea room charms of the Old Borough,
and gave the Ship (top) another chance.
Two years ago this had served up the worst pint and service so far in Rye,
and I always want to give a duff pub another chance, even if it looks like a Brunning and Price without the bile beans adverts.
The Cellar Head (RIP) has gone, the pub taken on by Balfour, whose own IPA spluttered to death,
leaving me a simple choice on the pumps.
Mrs RM’s option was rather more expensive,
but sometimes, just sometimes, she deserves that £10.50 glass of Nannette’s Rose.
My Long Man Best was a redemptive NBSS 3.5, cool and chewy. Perhaps it will take the place in the GBG vacated by the Ypres Castle ? (it won’t).
Great soundtrack, too.
The GBG needs a symbol for that.
retiredmartin 
It doesn’t even look like a pub; more like a cafe in a village hall. If you don’t want people to enjoy themselves, hard and uncomfortable chairs like those from a 1950s classroom are an effective measure.
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I stayed at the Hope and Anchor in the summer. Cheap by Rye standards but felt like a pub on the way out. We didn’t bother with a beer.
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That blonde looks more like a redhead to me…
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…or a typo…
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Oh yes, I seem to have blondes on the brain. No idea why.
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Martin, I’ve been enjoying this series on the pubs of Rye, as it has brought back pleasant memories of family holidays in the town, and at nearby Winchelsea Beach.
With the exception of the Cinque Port Arms, I’ve been in all the pubs you mentioned, including the Hope Anchor. My visit there was a couple of decades ago, so I can’t really comment on the place, or its strange notices about Harvey’s and Guinness. What Pub lists it as stocking Harvey’s, which makes the situation even stranger.
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I think as Wickingman notes, the trade is light, so probably just minimising stock in winter months.
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Agreed, It seems to function more as a hotel, rather than a pub.
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I see in the news that supplies of Guinness have been limited because of exceptional demand. Obviously you found an example of this.
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What’s next to be cool?
Bring back Party Sevens.
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…oh, they did.
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“supplies of Guinness have been limited because of exceptional demand” which nowadays is known as Fake News.
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