Sussex city tops list of strongest pub scenes in Britain

The Sussex city topped a ranking of the strongest pub scenes in the country, beating Norwich, Liverpool, Mancherster and Bristol which made up the rest of the top five.

Capital on Tap analysed 32 major British towns and cities, looking at a range of factors such as pub density, average Google ratings, the proportion of independent venues and local search demand.

Brighton and Hove takes the top spot, achieving a final score of 7.36. The location has the highest pub and bar density, with 7.74 venues per 10,000 residents, while its pubs also score an impressive 4.42/5 on Google.

Almost 80 per cent of its pubs are independently run, giving the local scene its distinctive character. Independent favourites include The Crescent, a neighbourhood pub known for its community feel, summer garden and classic pub food.

In second place is Norwich, the medieval city, scoring 7.19 overall and standing out for the strength of its independent pub offering, with the highest proportion in the index at 86.42 per cent. With 6.52 pubs and bars per 10,000 residents, the city offers plenty of choice at an affordable price, with an average pint costing £5.50, making it the fourth-cheapest city in the ranking.

Joint second for affordability, Liverpool ranks third overall for the UK’s most resilient pub scenes. The city has 5.22 pubs and bars per 10,000 residents, offering plenty of choice, and an average Google rating of 4.38/5 reflects the consistently high quality of its venues.

The news comes as rising costs and ongoing economic pressures continue to challenge the sector, with the British Beer & Pub Association revealing around two pubs close their doors every day.

You can view the full study here: https://www.capitalontap.com/en/blog/posts/britains-2026-pub-index/