The Bell Inn

UK England South East England East Sussex

One-of-a-kind village pub with quirky touches and superb food.

First and foremost, The Bell in Ticehurst is a great local village pub – cosy and comfortable, with plenty of beams and battered sofas, bare boards and faded rugs, open fires and candlelight, and an invitingly long, well-stocked bar. But what the Bell is perhaps best known for, in its own words, is its ‘hint of quirk’: bowler hat light fittings, coat hooks fashioned from cutlery, a tower of books forming a twisted column by the bar, a Banksy hanging in the hall, and best of all, shiny tubas in place of urinals in the gents’ (sadly the ladies’ are nowhere near as much fun). Upstairs the seven stylish bedrooms are equally eccentric. The sense of fun, and energy, is carried through to the pub’s Thursday-night events, where you might catch live music from local musicians, or the monthly “Table Talk” debate, held in uproarious fashion around a massive sunken oak table. Food comes from Richard Kirkwood, previously of J. Sheekey’s in London, and celebrates local produce, knobby carrots and all, with suppliers name-checked on the menu. Mains such as pork belly or pan-fried sea bass cost in the region of £14, with pubby classics (burgers, fish and chips etc) a few pounds less and sandwiches available till 6pm Monday to Saturday. A great-value weekday set lunch is available during the week.