Review: The Bugle Inn, Brighton

The bar is a central oval, effectively splitting the place into two wide rooms with a smaller separate back room equipped with jukebox, and decent sized rear garden. The exposed brickwork along one wall is possibly the most modern decorative feature – that and the screens scattered about, suggesting sport is on offer at times.

A soothing eclectic mix of 80s music pipes in through the speakers. The carpet design suggests it could well have been there for a few decades, but without the wear and tear, and the furniture is classic and unfussy.

There’s a poster of musical offerings; Irish music Sundays are a regular occurrence, and apparently they pull a good crowd. Along with all the Guinness nostalgia we’re beginning to sense an Irish theme here, but it’s not in your face.

You won’t find any local craft brewers here; Stella, Becks, Kronenbourg, Guinness and a couple of casks make up the options. The pub has its own Best beer brewed for The Bugle in Partridge Green. It’s definitely on the bitter spectrum, slightly caramelly, but flavours of burnt toast definitely dominate. It’s much punchier than the 4% abv suggests. The Darkstar Hophead isn’t the coldest kept cask, which affects the flavour, but it’s decent none the less.

For an early Friday evening it felt curiously quiet – and BBB and friends felt conspicuously young, with the general age bracket congregating at the bar more like 40–60.

Some of our readers might find the working mens club vibes a little difficult to get comfortable in. It’s fair to say that, when compared to other options in the Elm Grove area, the pub appears tired and lacking in excitement. However the people we met were friendly and welcoming.

What you get at the Bugle is a throwback, an unpretentious and classic feeling place that we are sure has a genuine and unique atmosphere to offer on a busy music night. We are so glad that a pub like this still survives in Brighton, and it’s well worth the visit if you fancy a trip to a simpler time.

The bar is a central oval, effectively splitting the place into two wide rooms with a smaller separate back room equipped with jukebox, and decent sized rear garden. The exposed brickwork along one wall is possibly the most modern decorative feature – that and the screens scattered about, suggesting sport is on offer at times.

A soothing eclectic mix of 80s music pipes in through the speakers. The carpet design suggests it could well have been there for a few decades, but without the wear and tear, and the furniture is classic and unfussy.

There’s a poster of musical offerings; Irish music Sundays are a regular occurrence, and apparently they pull a good crowd. Along with all the Guinness nostalgia we’re beginning to sense an Irish theme here, but it’s not in your face.

You won’t find any local craft brewers here; Stella, Becks, Kronenbourg, Guinness and a couple of casks make up the options. The pub has its own Best beer brewed for The Bugle in Partridge Green. It’s definitely on the bitter spectrum, slightly caramelly, but flavours of burnt toast definitely dominate. It’s much punchier than the 4% abv suggests. The Darkstar Hophead isn’t the coldest kept cask, which affects the flavour, but it’s decent none the less.

For an early Friday evening it felt curiously quiet – and BBB and friends felt conspicuously young, with the general age bracket congregating at the bar more like 40–60.

Some of our readers might find the working mens club vibes a little difficult to get comfortable in. It’s fair to say that, when compared to other options in the Elm Grove area, the pub appears tired and lacking in excitement. However the people we met were friendly and welcoming.

What you get at the Bugle is a throwback, an unpretentious and classic feeling place that we are sure has a genuine and unique atmosphere to offer on a busy music night. We are so glad that a pub like this still survives in Brighton, and it’s well worth the visit if you fancy a trip to a simpler time.