Pump House

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East Sussex - Brighton

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed Status: II

46 Market Street
Brighton
BN1 1HH

Tel: (01273) 827421

Website https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/southeast/thepumphousebrighton

Real Ale: Yes

Lunchtime Meals: Yes

Evening Meals: Yes

Nearby Station: Brighton (East Sussex)

Station Distance: 900m

Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Brighton) and Bus Stop

Bus: Yes

View on: Whatpub

Occupying a late 18th century building, the original pub was extended into the nrighbouring property in 1954. The front left bar has panelling from the 1954 refit though the wood derives from the building's first floor. The curved counter is of the same date though the bar-back is more recent. There is more 1954 panelling and a similar counter in the front right room - the bar-back looks to be of mixed vintage. An old door at the back leads to a passage then a small room on the right with another 1954 curved counter. The room benind the front left bar only came into pub use in 1980.

Late 18th century building in The Lanes with a Regency-style bow windowed frontage, possibly reglazed. The pub originally occupied 46 Market Street (first recorded as such in 1854) and in 1954 was combined with 45 Market Street to the left and a restoration by Kemp Town Brewery created a three small room layout with a central servery (with some modernisation). The restoration was confirmed in a December 1962 article “By their pubs you shall know them”, by Miriam Maisel who stated that the Pump House was “completely restored in 1954”. A 1960 book by Charrington's brewery (who took over the Kemp Town Brewery in 1954) states that the 1954 restoration was undertaken for Forfar's (Owners of 44 Market Street) and the KTB by Rings and Braybons. A refurbishment in the 1980s was mainly confined to creating more trading area at the rear left of the pub so it now has four rooms, and later refurbishments have taken place since, the latest being c2001.

The front left bar has old floor to ceiling fielded panelling in light wood with fluted pilasters and toothed and diamond lozenge decoration. The Charrington book says the wood was taken from the first floor of the building when the pub was refitted in 1954. There is a vestibule into this bar using more of the old panelling seen on the walls. There is a curved bar counter of a distinctive 1950s design and it and the panelling appear in a drawing by Alan Roulstone signed and dated 56 (1956). The bar back fitting appears more modern work and the gantry, with large supporting pillars, over the bar counter is modern. The stone fireplace has 'ME 1766' (Miss Elliiot who bought the building in 1766) inscribed in it but it could date from Edwardian times as it does resemble an Arts and Craft design. There is a fine fireback in the disused hearth. Modern wooden floor.

A doorway leads to the front right hand public bar which also has more old floor to ceiling fielded panelling in light wood with fluted pilasters and toothed and diamond lozenge decoration. There is another bar counter identical in design to that in the left hand bar so installed in 1954; the bar back fitting looks to be a mixture of 1950s and more modern work. There is another Tudor-style stone fireplace (also not in current use). Modern wooden floor.

An old door on the rear of the front right bar leads to a passage and the rear right small room which has a radiator grill of a distinct 1950s style. The small curved bar counter is a copy of the 1954 front ones and there is a modern screen on top including a set of three snob screens and a hatch.

From a doorway at the rear of the front left bar is a room created in the 1980s. It has some floor to ceiling panelling that is a copy of that seen in the two front bars but is less ornate. The curved bar counter closely matches those seen in the front bars but you will notice there are no leaf shaped brackets. It has a Victorian-style fireplace. Upstairs is what is called Miss Elliot’s Dining Room that has modern fittings.

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