Pyecombe itself is a very attractive village, and as other reviewers have said, when you see a sign to the 'Plough Inn', expectations run high. I stopped off recently on a walk across the Downs.
Unfortunately, close up it's a little less attractive: the frontage is completely taken up by car parking, and the view from the front is dominated by the BP Service Station and the noise of the motorway-like A23. The interior has also been thoroughly modernised so that, while there is still lots of wood, it's clean and tidy rather than atmospheric. Better are the large modern conservatory at the back and the beer garden, although the traffic noise is still clearly audible outside.
It's also more of a restaurant with pub frontage than a pub: there's an Italian restaurant and most of the staff are Italian. Granted, they are cheerful and helpful, but it doesn't feel much like a pub. They have three real ales on tap, including Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter, but the pint of 'Brighton Rock' I had was cloudy and on the turn.
Worst for me - though I realise this is rather specific - I was hoping to catch a bus into Brighton. After a long conversation with the barman, I was confidently directed to the wrong bus stop, and had to watch the last bus of the day sail past on the main road... read more