retiredmartin

October 2026. Rye. East Sussex.

To discover one new bar in a tiny riverside path is good enough. To find three in 2 minutes says a lot about the potential of Rye. We follow the seafood bar and Garage Culture brewery with a winery.

I mentioned recently how much of its pub stock this town of 4,480 souls has preserved despite the struggles faced by hospitality.

The centre was heaving with well-dressed visitors on Saturday, a lot of European and Japanese tourists too.

But Rye also gets the more modest trade like our octogenarian caravanners from Crystal Palace who’d also got a boat moored along the Rother.

Some decent prices for vessels along Rock Channel on that list, but you won’t catch me commandeering a boat.

Looking back up the hill towards Rye from the river reminds you how every building is photogenic,

but it’s a proper working boatyard,

with some industrial looking buildings at Bridgepoint.

Mrs RM almost spots the “W” for Walgate wine, described as a speakeasy on Google, before I do.

“I wanted to blog about English wine” she says, somehow justifying mixing grape and grain.

I could have had a beer, and asked if it was Key Keg like CAMRAs do,

but that would be like going in a brewery tap and asking for Guinness.

Mrs RM had the Walgate Rose, I had the Côtes du Rhône on tap and corn kernels. So sophisticated.

I get warned (sensibly) about sitting on the very edge of the trestle table, Mrs RM decides she’s coming back for the £28 wine tasting.

I reluctantly admit the Côtes du Rhône is absolutely gorgeous.

See ! I can be nice about France !