Bexhill micro pub voted best pub in Sussex by CAMRA

It is the icing on the cake for the popular local, in Sea Road, following on from a number of other awards. In April it was named pub of the year by the local South East Sussex branch of CAMRA for the third year running.

The Brickmakers Arms alehouse was opened in November 2019 by real ale enthusiasts Robin Hill and Martin Payne and has gone from strength to strength. Earlier this year it served up its 100th different real ale.

It took its name from the fact that in the 1930’s was used as a premises by the nearby Lunsford Brick and Tile Manufacturing Co. who operated a quarry in Sussex.

Real ale is served up straight from the barrel from a glass-fronted stillage which is cooled to cellar temperature. The pub also offers a wide selection of real ciders.

The Brickmakers is no stranger to awards. In 2021 it was named Conversion to Pub Use Award in CAMRA’s prestigious Pub Design Awards, held in conjunction with Historic England to celebrate exceptional pubs across the country that have undergone conversion or conservation work, or are newly built.

It retains some fireplaces built from Lunsford Brick products, as well as an attractive mosaic threshold featuring the brick company’s name.

Martin and Robin said: “We’ve now received official confirmation that we have won CAMRA’s Sussex Pub of the Year 2024.“This is an incredible achievement for a small, fairly new pub and in doing so we have beaten some of our favourite places to drink in Brighton and throughout Sussex. A great honour indeed.“We want to thank everyone at CAMRA who have given us their support; the incredible breweries, local and national, who are brewing some outstanding ales and making this a golden age for real ales; and, of course, our brilliant bar team who constantly set new standards for great customer service.“Most of all, though, we want to thank our special patrons and loyal friends who make the Brickmaker’s the vibrant and welcoming community local that we set out to achieve.“We are now going forward to compete with the best pubs in Surrey and Kent for the regional award. We’d love you all to cheer us on.We’d also like to send many congratulations to the Albatross Club, in Bexhill who have picked up the Sussex Club Of The Year award and the Robin Hood Icklesham who are the Sussex Cider Pub Of The Year, making it a clean sweep for Southeast Sussex.”The pub will be presented with its award later this year.

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