Hastings Pub Trail
CAMRA's Members' Weekend, AGM & Conference, was held in Eastbourne during April 2022 - these pages were produced for visiting members
Eight of the best Hastings pubs are listed with pointers to four more.
Click on the links to open a pub's WhatPub page, where you can find further details, Google maps and precise satnav coordinates.
Four trains an hour connect Eastbourne and Hastings, with journey times from 25 minutes.
Eastbourne Station departures
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2022
On leaving Hastings Station's entrance hall pass the buses to your right and walk along Station Approach footpath, with the fishing boat on your right. Head straight over the traffic light junction into Havelock Road with Crowleys Bar on your left.
The busy ① John Logie Baird (Wetherspoon) is further down on the left (29 Havelock Road, TN34 1BE, 4 mins walk from the station) Ⓕ
Named after the Scottish inventor who developed the first practical television system in the 1920s. His workshop was around the corner in Queens Parade!
Turn left out of Wetherspoon's; you are in the Victorian part of Hastings and the Cricketers Arms mentioned in Robert Tressell’s the Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists was near here, when there was a cricket ground, now Priory Meadow shops. It’s a nine-minute walk to our next pub in the ‘Old Town’ area.
Head across the square towards Costa Coffee, passing to the right, and along Wellington Place. At the end pass under the small underpass, continue heading east along the seafront. When you reach the Old Town Fish Bar bear left along the pedestrianised lane, George Street, which has many old and interesting buildings, cafes, shops and pubs. Hastings Old Town has 14 to 16 pubs, so you will be walking past several which look inviting, like the amazing fake-antique Ye Olde Pump House (Shepherd Neame). But as it's real ale we are searching for, if you can, walk by this time! At the end of George Street turn left into the High Street. Up the slope you pass even more interesting buildings, including the ancient St Clements parish church on the left. (Behind this is the house where Foyle of ITV’s Foyles War lived.)
Further up is the ② Jenny Lind (69 High Street, TN34 3EW, 9 mins) Ⓒ
A former Scottish & Newcastle house, transformed by new management encouraging real ale drinkers, with seven to nine regularly on.
On leaving the Jenny Lind turn left and continue up the High Street for a couple of minutes.
The ③ First in Last Out, also known as the FILO, is on your right (14 High Street, TN34 3EY, 3 mins) Ⓕ
This was the home of the excellent FILO microbrewery, now housed in a building up the road. In case you didn’t know, the pub’s name originates from the time the High Street was the main passage into the Old Town: the pub was the first you came across as you arrived and the last as you left!
Leave the FILO, walk back to the Jenny Lind and take Courthouse Street, opposite. Again, many interesting buildings. Cross the main road and walk up to the
④ Crown (64 All Saints Street, TN34 3BN, 5 mins) Ⓕ Ⓒ
Many changes here since its days under Punch Taverns, now can be very busy at meal times.
Next, head down All Saints Street, turn left at the bottom, after 60m, opposite the famous fisherman's huts, is
⑤ The Dolphin Inn (11 Rock-A-Nore, TN34 3DW, 2 mins) Ⓕ
A typical fisherman’s pub decorated with all things to do with sea fishing (ask about the Winkle Club). Twice branch Pub-of-the-Year in recent years.
On leaving the Dolphin walk down the steps and turn right, walk to the end of the pathway, crossing The Bourne main road, passing in front of the London Trader.
⑥ The Jolly Fisherman is next door (3 East Beach Street, TN34 3AR, 2 mins) Ⓕ Ⓒ
This micropub was branch cider Pub-of-the-Year in 2021
Turn right on leaving the Jolly Fisherman, after 5 minutes you'll come across the ⑦ Albion (33 George Street, TN34 3EA, 4 mins) Ⓕ Ⓒ
To return to the town centre and the station, head west towards the Pier, retracing your steps: in front of Iceland head through the pedestrianised streets as earlier.
For a detour to reach the other GBG-listed bar, at the White Rock Hotel, continue walking along the seafront to Hastings Pier - it's opposite (White Rock, TN34 1JU, 15 mins) Ⓕ
To return to the station from the White Rock, turn left then fork left into Robertson Street to the town centre and Havelock Road (14 mins).
The Eel & Bear, Prince Albert, 1200 Postcards and Imperial have all made a GBG appearance or have much improved since 2009, when the last CAMRA Members' Weekend and AGM was held in Eastbourne.
Ⓕ - Food served Ⓒ - Real Cider
South East Sussex area town pub trails
Sussex branches very much appreciate local and visiting members rating the beers and real ciders they sample. Scores can be recorded on the Good Beer Guide app, WhatPub or Pubzilla. CAMRA's beer-scoring system helps us select pubs for the Good Beer Guide and other awards