Ladies Mile, Brighton

A 1934 purpose built estate pub (possibly by Friary, Holroyd and Healy) of red brick with a curved colonnade and which still retains much of its Art Deco interior. Just inside is a striking six-sided stained glass Art Deco skylight in red, lime and gold. The exterior doors indicate it was built as three separate bars but today there is a long gently curved counter, the two end sections run through the line of original dividing walls.

In the 1960s it would appear that the counters in the public bar on the left and smoke room on the right were moved through 90 degrees and the central bar counter truncated at both ends by some feet - note how the bar fronts are more decorative on the left and right with a plainer panelled central section. The bar back is mostly original apart from the insertion of a window on the right hand side. There are 4 original Art Deco grey marble with good quality wood surrounds fireplaces - three of which have a horse-rider panel in relief. The Art Deco looking banquettes actually date from the 1960s - the original seating ran along the exterior wall and that in the right hand side runs across the original doors into this room. Note the glorious Art Deco statuette some 18 inches high as the centrepiece on the counter top.

The rear right area was, we were told, a kitchen prior to the 1960s, but not sure what it was when built. The wall between it and the right bar was removed in the 1960s and there are no old fittings here. The gents' toilet on the left retains its original wall tiling, two large urinals and sink, the ladies also retains original tiling. The modernised gents toilet on the right was also used by customers of the Saloon Bar hence the disused exterior door (locals call this the busman's toilet as this was a terminus!)

On the right is a free-standing brick-built function hall with barrel vaulted roof which has lost its folding partition wall that divided it into two equal sized rooms. It retains its original 1930s bar back, the bar counter looks like the original superstructure but was re-ronted in the 1960s and has a modern top. The seating looks 1960s. The front lobby and toilets have terrazzo floor, toilets retain original tiling and sinks, there is a 'Penny in the Slot' on the ladies WC but the partition in the gents is a puzzle - did the ladies and gents change sides in the 1960s? Lots of original doors in Art Deco design with brass handles. There is no obvious signs of an off sales.