insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 16 - June 2016 | Page 43

FOOD+DRINK The Ultimate Sussex Pub Crawl cont. 19 20 The Bell, Ticehurst www.thebellinticehurst.com The Mermaid Inn, Rye www.mermaidinn.com Stripped wooden floorboards, dark wood, a polished bar, an open fire, blackboards… pubs don’t come much more traditional than this, and yet there is an air of difference – of quirkiness as the owners put it – to The Bell that makes it an intriguing prospect. The pub is all about sitting and chatting with friends or strangers; it’s about relaxing and simply enjoying yourself, pastimes that we should probably all make time to embrace more often. All the ingredients are, proudly, locally sourced, so much so they say that the cream used in the cooking travels less distance than a cow might wander in a day, which isn’t far, is it? Other produce comes from the farmer who lives down the lane (naturally), and all the food is cooked to order. There are plenty of events to enjoy throughout the year too, from music to debates, comedy nights to film evenings and much more in between. Dating back to 1156 (with a rebuild in 1420), the Mermaid Inn has a wonderfully rich past. With its creaking floorboards, sloping ceilings, numerous nooks, crannies and winding staircases, this is not your usual pub and hotel – this is an experience all of its own. The Mermaid Inn’s history includes the Hawkhurst Gang, local smugglers from the early 1700s who used the bar as a meeting place; there’s even a secret passageway that they used for when they needed a quick escape. As well as a lovely bar with open fire, there is a linenfold, panelled restaurant, or, for more intimate dining, there is the Dr Syn dining room: choice abounds at the atmospheric Mermaid Inn. SUMMER DINING ON THE TERRACE AT H I LT O N AV I S F O R D PA R K JOIN US FOR OUR SUMMER OPENING OF THE TERRACE ON SUNDAY 29 MAY 2016 ENJOY JAZZ BETWEEN 1:00PM - 4:00PM AND A BARBECUE BETWEEN 1:00PM - 7:00PM ADULTS AND CHILDREN AGED 12 AND OVER £15.00 - CHILDREN UNDER 12 YEARS OF AGE £5.00 TO MAKE A BOOKING PLEASE TELEPHONE [phone] Email [email protected] or book online at arundel.hilton.com HILTON AVISFORD PARK Yapton Lane | Walberton | Arundel | BN18 0LS | 43