November 2025. Brighton.
Can’t help feeling that an hour and two pints in Brighton straight back to the station is poor form, I didn’t even see the seaside, but it’s dark by 4 and I had other targets on the Sussex coast.
And I did have time for a quick glimpse of Max Miller, who I always confuse with Tommy Trinder.
“You lucky people !” to live in such a vibrant and well-loved city, though you (or your parents) pay for the privilege.
Sydney Street has Dave’s comics, and the bulk of the shorts wearing influencers,
along with the pre-loved shirts,
but Trafalgar Street has the pubs.
The Great Eastern debuted in GBG25, but “events” stopped me getting here till this week.
What a cracker, and a Stonegate pub too, though you’d never guess.
Very Brighton, with its low stools, bar seats, candlesticks and country rock courtesy of 49 Winchester (the whole album).
Too many hand pumps ?
Hard to tell at opening on a November Monday, and as I take the Firebird Sussex Best to the seat by the vinyls,
I have my doubts. The really great young barman offers “jug or straight ?” and obviously it’s a straight, but sadly it’s closer to the thin Adnams style glass.
But it grows from a 3 to a 3.5, the cosiness and charm of the pub comes into play, and as the dog walkers come in it takes on cosy boozer status.
Now, all I want is one of those greasy Grubbs burgers with peanut butter…
retiredmartin 
The correct number of cask beers in a Brighton pub is four. Very few seem to have fewer. Having five is like wearing shorts when it’s snowing.
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Do you visit regularly ?
Mrs RM did a work assignment there before COVID, put up in a hotel in the Laines, and I got to appreciate it more.
It doesn’t seem to have as many pubs in the GBG as you’d expect, almost as many in Lewes these days.
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Only a flying visit this summer, but I was born there so I like to go back from time to time.
Yes, there are too many pubs with four beers on and nothing really outstanding.
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Sadly I think you’re right. Hole in the Wall is probably closest.
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First time in ages I’ve noticed jam jars in one of your posts. Does that make it an old school boozer these days?
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I have a phone feature that allows you to erase jam jars and add in a “NO TASTERS” sign but forgot to use it.
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I was in the Great Eastern in July and it is indeed a cracking pub. I seem to remember too, it was bloody pricey.
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My pint of Firebird (the one that appeared as the only beer on all the pubs in WhatPub recently!) was £4.10, possibly a promotion in the early part of the week. I also got one of those collectors cards for a 6th pint free.
Not very Stonegate !
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That statue seems to be Max Miller, not Tommy Trinder. I only remember Trinder as chairman of Fulham.
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Now there’s a funny thing!
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Indeed, Bill. Max Miller was not Tommy Trinder; they were two separate comedians, though their work was sometimes confused. Max Miller was an English comedian known as “The Cheeky Chappie” and famous for his catchphrase “Now, there’s a funny thing”. Tommy Trinder was also an English comedian, a popular figure during World War II, known for his catchphrase “You lucky people!”
However, surely, you don’t come to this blog to be swaddled by the leaden coil of fact?
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“Swaddled by the leaden coil of fact.” I like that.
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With two nights in Brighton, I had a pint of Old Peculier there in September 2023.
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“I didn’t even see the seaside”
I read that one is no farther than 75 miles from the sea in the UK. So you can see the seaside practically any time.
“And I did have time for a quick glimpse of Max Miller, who I always confuse with Tommy Trinder.”
(looks down)
It’s the pants, innit?
“and the bulk of the shorts wearing influencers”
(shudder)
“but Trafalgar Street has the pubs.”
Now we’re talking!
“but “events” stopped me getting here till this week.”
(sigh) 😒
“though you’d never guess.”
(looks down)
Blimey. That almost looks like a cowboy bar.
“Very Brighton, with its low stools, bar seats, candlesticks and country rock courtesy of 49 Winchester (the whole album).”
‘Country rock’; ok, that explains the cowboy bit.
“and as I take the Firebird Sussex Best to the seat by the vinyls,”
(looks down)
Vinyls indeed!
“But it grows from a 3 to a 3.5, the cosiness and charm of the pub comes into play, and as the dog walkers come in it takes on cosy boozer status.”
Atmosphere is everything.
“Now, all I want is one of those greasy Grubbs burgers with peanut butter…”
Yer what? Peanut butter? You’re having me on mate.
Cheers
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I visited the Great Eastern some years ago when it was run by the Pleisure Pub Co who had several pubs in London, Kent and Sussex. I can’t remember the beer but I do remember the chips were some of the best I’d ever eaten.
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