please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
went in Easter Sunday with the Mrs, the place was rammed as were all the pubs in Hastings, they stopped serving food just after our order as it was so busy, seemed like a decent enough place, the food and ale were okay, and I'd like to go back when it's not as busy
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Spitfire, Masterbrew and Bishop's finger on tap...several lagers also. Nice, comfortable and welcoming boozer in the old part of town.
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The ales & food are pretty good. Nothing outstanding about this place but worth a visit. Day trippers fill the place.
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Very interesting building and bar split onto levels. The pop music was a bit loud which was a shame because it didn't match the lovely old fashioned interior. The staff were friendly and the beer was good however and I would return.
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Visted September 2011
Lovely. Not original features but packed with period flavours, food was gorgeous and we had a pleasant seat in the window. Lager and cider nice and chilled and barmaid most helpful and friendly.
Recommended for diners mainly, though. 8/10
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Not bad , but not much space for those not eating.
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Good value food, decent Sheperd Neame beer
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A totally stunning building inside and out.
Could be quite an amazing pub if the decoration was slightly less tacky.
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My family popped into this pub on the off chance while in Hastings. The food was terrific, as was the service. Just watch your head on the low beams.
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It�s not really hard to miss Ye Olde Pump House. Its medieval frontage is prominent in the picturesque Old Town High Street and just begs to be visited. Much is said about the pub�s origins and whether the building is original or just a marvellous recreation and I�m not really going to get into the debate other than to say that there is very little regarding its history that I could trawl up which suggests that it leans more towards the latter. Fake or not, there is no doubt that it ticks all the boxes when it comes to all the charm of an Olde Worlde pub. Plenty of heavy low beamed ceilings, bare floors, off centre walls, latticed windows, old (looking) brick fireplaces, lanterns, pretty much a tourists impression of what a medieval building should be and very impressive it is.
The downstairs consists of a small �smugglers� bar, a dark but atmospheric snug with old fishing nets and ship wheels to emphasise the nautical theme. It should be noted that there did not appear to be any hand pumps in this bar. The larger main bar is upstairs and is divided into a couple of rooms across the length of the pub.There are plenty of old photos, theatre posters and brewery mirrors and an interesting section at one end of the bar (labelled �bullshit corner�) has a collection of photos and caricatures of some of the regulars. A couple of flat screens were showing athletics on my recent visit and are presumably geared for sport in general. To the rear is an unobtrusive pool room and there is also a rather tiny patio with limited table space.
The beers are a bit of a let down; 3 Shepherd Neame Ales available on my recent visit (Master Brew, Bishops Finger and Spitfire) but quality can be a bit hit and miss (more miss than hit on my visits) and the prices between �2.90 and �3.10 seem a bit high for ales that are not consistently well kept.
The pub is certainly worth a visit to marvel at its interior and decide how much is real and how much is fake but it would need a good shake up on the beer front before it can claim any great reputation for anything else.
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This is another Shepherd Neame pub with an unexciting ale choice of Spitfire and Master Brew and the usual limited draught selection. This is a shame as the pub itself is very interesting and I think I can best describe it as feeling like an old pirate ship. As you pass the three or four tables on the main path outside you enter into a small street level bar. The larger main bar is found up some stairs and you will find a dining type area towards the front of the pub and a couple of plasma screens in the main section in the middle. There is a pool room with one table up some more steps at the rear of the pub and there is also a tiny courtyard area outside the back for the smokers.
I found the young staff to be very friendly and the music selection was very good, it�s just a shame about the range and quality of drinks.
I think that this is a pub that you have to visit if you�ve never been before, maybe on a Sunday for food rather than beer as the roasts were very cheap and they looked lovely.
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Took the family in here for a meal yesterday and was extremely impressed. Good choice and cater for kids which I don't see often in pubs. Massive portions, great value. Definately recommend. Bob.
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Has to be a stop over for any visit to Hastings Old Town, a pleasant little pub with that Elizabethan wood beam feel. Beer selection was a good mix of bitter and lager and I was surprised to see Hurlimann's on draught.
Staff are friendly and even when crowded you seldom have to wait too long to be served, suggesting they know their stuff. Can be crowded at the weekend and while its a quiet venue at the weekend some of the nearby places can be rowdy.
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The Pump House certainly was not constructed in 1959. English Heritage listed it as a Grade II building in 1951 and they say that it is an early 17th century building. This seems to be Hastings urban legend. When I frequented the pub in the mid 1960s the (then) landlord told me that it was constructed in 1946. According to English Heritage the buiding was substatially restored at some point and maybe that is the source of the myth that it is of modern construction. Do any old Hastonians remember anything more about this?
I went back to the 'Pump' a couple of weeks ago. It hadn't changed much in 40 years. The beer was OK though rather expensive. Certainly a lot more than the 1/6d a pint I used to pay all those years ago!
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The Old Pump House was always seen as the school�s youth club when I was an inmate at Hastings Grammar School.
Thirty years later I suspect little has changed. A mate and I had the Bishop�s Finger which was sour. two others in or party had the Spitfire which wasn�t any better.
It�s the sort of place which gives the Shepherd Neame brewery a bad name.
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Nice pub, very quiet when I was in (because it was a Monday) Good pint of Spitfire. Only down here for an interview, which I Got the job, so it looks like I could spend more time here. Just as well it was decent beer.
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I feel a bit of an idiot telling my mates about this pub I visited on holiday that was centuries old only to find out it was built in 1959.
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One of the best pubs in the town. Nice range of drinks, reasonably priced and you never get any problems. Recommended.
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This eccentrically constructed 'ancient' pub was built from the ground up as far back as, ooh, 1959. It is an excellent fake and, it being the Old Town of Hastings and George Street in particular, has seen its ups and downs over the years. As far as I know, it is still the 'Official' Hastings Grammar School pub, especially around Christmas time. Missing this pub on an Old Town pub crawl is not to be encouraged. Suffer, but enjoy.
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Enjoyed the pub but getting to the bar was a bit of a nightmare as it seems to be so short with pillars in the way and the locals sprawled over a table which seemed to block half of the bar. Two ladies serving behind the bar when I went who seemed as miserable as the old building. Lots of tables and seems laid out more like a restaurant than a pub, didn't sample the food but it looked ok.
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Absolutely amazing looking pub, it looks ancient and is a bit like the tardis inside, there are little alcoves and doors leading off everywhere. If this pub was in London it would be ripe for a poncey plastic re-furb so lets hope no suit gets any ideas because old places like this are becoming a thing of the past
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Sh*t and scream pub. (Shepherd Neame.)
Worth a visit purely for its decor, inside and out. Has a lot of character and despite being SN, a nice place for a fairly decent pint... if you like that kind of thing.
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Clientele can be a bit dodgy, but the pub itself is a gorgeous little place. Incredible exterior (don't know if it's the original) and very friendly bar staff.
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A Shepherd Neame pub. Ancient black beamed interior. Dark, low ceilinged and utterly charming. Assorted small and large windows upstairs provide plenty of light. Pleasant buzz of conversation. Good value food. Child friendly. And a seagull's nest by the window. I loved the place.
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This pub does Hurlimanns!! What else need I say? I'm not even a real beer drinker but this stuff is amazing. Lovely creaky historic pub, well worth stopping off at on a stroll through Old Town. Often crowded, even in the daytime, and it's no surprise at it's such a cosy welcoming pub. I've only had the food once, and will reserve judgement for my second attempt, as it tasted better than it looked, oddly enough. This is a favourite watering hole.
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