Neo Toys

Found these funky new Neo tools for the blog. So I have a counter again (just add 14,000 to the number of hits to get about the right amount) and much more, even a message board.

Brighton Web Awards: Finalist!

Hey, the website got nominated for the Brighton & Hove web awards as "Best Site for a Night Out" and has got through as a finalist!
If you want to vote for us go to http://brightonwebawards.co.uk/votenow and you'll find "pub jury" right down at the bottom of the page!

Updating Blog Headaches

Arghh.
So when I upgraded my blog I lost my counter (with nearly 14,000 hits), my Amazon ads, my google ads, and my other fancy clickable links which I've accumulated.
Headache. Computers. The Internet. Blogs. Who needs them?

Messing about with the blog

Well I've done a few things to this blog today. I upgraded to a new version of Blogger which unfortunately deleted many of the fancy links I'd set up.
I've added some Text Link Ads and some different Google Ads too.

If you have a website and want to sell some Text Link Ads then click on the banner in the right hand column.

Now YOU can be a Pub Juror!

Yes, finally, the Pub Jury website is live! You can browse pub scores, become a juror yourself and then rate pubs, upload photos and much more!
http://www.pubjury.com/
Functionality and content is still being added, but most of the main functions are there - you can add pubs, rate them, upload photos, flag pubs as closed/renamed, etc.

Review in the North Laine Runner

"You can't go wrong with this one."

A great review in the latest edition of the Brighton Community Magazine "The North Laine Runner":

"Some people manage to carve out the best jobs in the world and my first reaction when asked to review this book was 'why didn't I think of this?'
An anonymous group of Brightonians calling themselves The Pub Jury has got together to try out (sorry I mean research) our local pubs, all 300 of them, and rate them accordingly.
The result: The Definitive Guide to Brighton's Best Pubs. ArAnd it's pretty much what it says on the tin: 'An A-Z of all 300 pubs and bars in Brighton, independently tested'.

The North Laine has 38 drinking holes and it's easy to find out where and who they are thanks to a thoughtful selection of maps within the first few pages. Each pub is numbered and cross-referenced to the list of names on each map."

The review goes on and is pretty extensive (2 full A4 pages!), but here is the summary at the end:

"You get the impression that the Jury has, hand on heart, done its best to be honest and equivocal, with credit and criticism given where it is due.
For Christmas or birthday presents, sending your offspring off to study in the town, or just spending that £10 book token you didn't know what to do with, you can't go wrong with this one. And you could have just as much fun as The Pub Jury did researching it."
- by Lizzie Deane

Well, what can we say? Thank you very much Lizzie and the North Laine Runner!

More Magazine Coverage!

The following magazines have said that they are going to cover Brighton's Best Pubs book in either an article or a review, this month or soon!

-> This will be the first London magazine to cover the book that we know of!

-> Brighton's coolest 'lifestyle' mag!

-> North Laine community magazine

-> Preston Pages community magazine

The Saint James

Sign outside the St James Tavern on St James Street. And we agree - the Thai food sure is tasty there!

Kemptown Rag

We missed it, but the Kemptown Rag ran an article on the book and The Pub Jury! Thanks for your support guys!

The Smoking Ban is Coming.....

In July smoking in public places, including pubs, will be illegal. Find out what this means for Brighton on the link below:

The Smoking Spotlight Campaign is the Brighton& Hove online smoke ban countdown web-site. We endorse the 'no smoking inpublic places' legislation soon to introduced in July this year. We aim to help our trade partners, and the public, in the run up towards the smoking ban with discounts and up-to-date information on all things Brighton & Hove before and after the smoking ban has come into force.

The Smoking Spotlight: Links & Info for Brighton & Hove - Features link's, discounts & up-to-date local info on Brighton's best bar's, club's,restaurant's and theatre's. Online now... http://thesmokingspotlight.co.uk/

What a nice email we got....

"Bored on this Friday afternoon, willing the hours and minutes away until drinking time I thought I’d have a mooch on the net to see what’s new in Brighton and what can us girlies busy ourselves with this weekend…….

Came across your blog.

And what a fantastic blog it is. Although I started arse about face with the end being at the top I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it…

What a journey and experience it was to read. From the beginning part about the conception of the idea, the trial and tribulations (and the crawl of course!) that you and your ‘jurors’ have endured right through to the bit where your almost at break even point.

I am totally behind you on this quest. I do not think there is enough awareness about the pubs/bars etc in Brighton to do it a fair justice. All these boring ‘Best Pub in Sussex’ and ‘The South’s guide to Pubs’ crap is just not on for us youngsters who want to know what is cool, atmospheric and decent beer/vodka.

I think you have hit the nail on the head with this little belter of a book and I haven’t even read it!

Where to buy this little gem please??????

Bestest,

Romany"

Well, our answer to Romany and anyone else interested is that you can currently get the book in Borders, Waterstones, City Books or on Amazon. If you want to buy it from a more friendly local shop (where we get more of a share of the money) then buy it from Custard in the Lanes (oppositte Font n Firkin) or in Dave's Books on Syndey St. Or in the Basketmakers or Hartington pubs. You can probably get it in other places too, but we've forgotten where!

Book Update....?

These pubs aren't in the first edition of the book, but we are looking to update it and expand the area covered. Please give your view on any of the following. Ideally rate them 1-5 stars on Atmosphere, Beer, Barstaff, Food, Entertainment, Decor/Garden, Talent:

Bali Brasserie (should this count as a pub/bar?)
Lansdowne Place Hotel (rated as a cocktail bar by the Observer - should we include it?)
Cosmopolitan Bar (another hotel bar - should it count?)
Jamaica Inn (Portland Road)
Stanley Arms (raved about real ale pub in Portslade)

New Pubs in Brighton

Change is a constant in Brighton and since the book has been published a few new pubs have appeared. Can anyone tell us what these pubs are like? And maybe give them scores from 1-5 stars for each of the following: Atmosphere, Beer, Barstaff, Food, Decor/Garden, Entertainment, Talent.

The Fountain Head
The Vault
St George
The Chimney House
PINTXOpeople
Zuma

Some of these were already pubs and have just been refurbed + renamed, so we'd be interested to know if you like the change or not....?

Guestbook Entry

Got a nice post today in the guestbook on the old website from a guy called Paul:

"I spent two years in Brighton as part of my OE from NZ. Visiting many of its amazing pubs in my spare time was a great hobby. Gotta say a book like this does great justice to them. Some of my favs were the Lion and Lobster, Mash Tun, Open House, Enginee"

Looks like either the guestbook character limit cut him off or he accidentally clicked OK. I'd guess the last one was going to be Engineer, but no telling what else he likes....Paul?

Brighton & Hove Life Article

This month we have collaborated with Brighton & Hove Life magazine to produce a guide to "50 Great City Pubs & Bars":

"As Brighton & Hove Life readers, we know you demand high standards from your chosen drinkeries. You want places for quiet drinks in opulent surroundings, places to go for a big night out without having to face hoards of alcopop guzzling clubbers, somewhere for a proper Sunday roast, places to meet for a light lunch and places to go when you’re feeling naughty and want exotic cocktails to get you in a party mood. Here are our some of our favourite places for a great time… "

http://www.brightonandhovelife.co.uk/?id=4234

You can buy the march issue of Brighton & Hove Life on the website or in various newsagents around town.

Sussex Beer Festival

The book will be for sale at the Sussex Beer Festival (Hove Town Hall, 8-10 March 2007). 50% of the profits of sales will go to the Martlets Hospice charity.

There are 4,000 people expected to go to the beer festival over the 3 days, so it could be a good result for both the book and for the charity.

For more info check out http://www.sussexbeerfestival.co.uk/

Beer!

Sign outside the Mash Tun pub:

Book Retailers Update

Borders have finally cracked and are now stocking the book. They had to come to their senses sooner or later.
City Books now have a load in stock, all signed copies!
Sussex Stationers/British Bookshops have in theory ordered 100 copies of the book, but I'm yet to see them with it for sale anywhere. So they may be lost in their warehouse. If you see it, give us a shout!