Bedford Tavern

Reviews

• Samantha C.

  star star star star star_border 15 June 2026

  Th Bedford Tavern is a traditional old Brit pub situated in Brighton's famous Lanes, The self confessed, 'most haunted pub in UK', it has a very old school decor out side and in with a kind of old tavern vibe.
  They offer real ales like Harveys Best, Bombardier and Old Speckled Hen
  
  It has a cosy and friendly atmosphere and the staff are welcoming to everyone. They also offer a tour of Brighton which starts at the pier and ends with lunch in the pub.

• Tamás L.

  star star star star star 13 June 2026

  Nice little Pub with friendly staff and good selection of beers. An extra star for the Otter Ale.

• David J.

  star star star star star_border 30 May 2026

  Well, what a transformation.
  
  The Bedford used to be one of our favourites, but over the last 5 years had really gone downhill.
  
  But it has recently been taken over by the management of the Brighton Tavern, and they've done exactly what was needed.
  
  Gone are the attempts at trendy decor, and back is a good old-fashioned, cosy-feeling pub, with subdued lighting, traditional furniture and decoration, and decent real-ale (local staple Harvey's). Bar staff were efficient and very friendly, and we had a very nice evening there indeed.
  
  The pub has a front and back bars, with a corner snug at the rear. It's still a little quiet, but then again I suspect they have had to build up the business effectively from scratch.
  
  I hope they succeed in turning it around.
  
  *********************
  
  Dear, oh dear.
  
  I think it was Thomas Wolfe who said, 'You can't go home again', meaning you can't revisit somewhere you've left, because it won't be the same again and it will spoil your memories. That is so true for this pub...
  
  The Bedford Tavern used to be our favourite watering hole. Here was a well managed, mixed gay/straight pub (nicely described by a friend as 'straight-friendly'), with a real country pub feel, (it even claimed to be haunted) and with excellent real ales, and good food. It was always packed.
  
  A change of management and a slight trendying up of the decor, saw the beginning of a slow decline a few years ago, but after a recent change of management we thought we'd give it another go.
  
  It was a disaster.
  
  For a start, the interior is a mess. I really hope it is just a work in progress, but it's now really awful - as if someone has watched too many makeover programmes on TV and thinks they can do interior design, when they can't. Trendy leather armchairs have replaced the traditional pub furniture, but with the original tables - so there's less seating, it's hard to move it if you want to, but the tables are so high that your pints block the view of your friends. It doesn't make for a sociable atmosphere.
  
  Further disasters include putting pebbles from the beach into the gents' urinals as a design feature. Trust me, it doesn't work. They'd be better off ensuring the urinals didn't leak and cleaning the air intake from the hand drier so it works properly.
  
  They've also installed harsh new spotlighting, which makes the bar area painfully bright and unattractive, and makes ordering a drink feel like you are being interrogated. Not that ordering a drink was a great success - it took two goes to get a bitter shandy right. And the bright lighting simply highlights the fact that the carpet needs a good clean.
  
  Unfortunately, the frosty patina on the glasses made drinking an unpleasant experience too - something has gone wrong with the glass washing.
  
  One of my most disappointing pub visits in years.

• James Y.

  star star star star_border star_border 23 May 2026

  Woooooo spooky ghosts in the pub!!!! I don't think this place needs to capitalize on ghost stories to attract customers as its a great place to drink some lovely real ales.
  
  In recent years the only people who were drinking in the pub were probably the ghosts but now under new management and back to roots decor it should see a good up-surge in living human beings at the bar.
  
  The exterior can't be missed as it really is beautiful - all old fashioned beams etc dating back to the1800s

• Qype User (Bill…)

  star star star star star_border 22 May 2026

  After a horrible period in the doldrums, new management have taken it over and restored the interior of the pub to its traditional appearance: red carpets, traditional furniture, old-fashioned paintings on the walls, and - bliss - real-ale restored to the hand pumps. It now feels cosy and welcoming again.
  
  I'll be back!