The Hop Yard, Forest Row

I was taken aback when I walked through the entrance into a flower shop, but the door up to the Hop Yard is quite prominent so I quickly realised that I hadn’t made a mistake. At the top of the stairs I turned left into the bar area where a serving counter across the rear faces thick wooden tables on a wooden floor. Available on draught were lots of craft keg options alongside three hand pumps, but only one was in use drawing the local Larkins Brewery’s Best. The larger right-hand side is served by a right-hand counter, and in the right rear corner is a kitchen for burgers etc. Towards the front are a stage and a DJ booth with “Garage Rhythm” written on it, regular music nights are advertised which I think are the bread and butter for this place. The pool table was of interest, but I’ll not be returning.

Interesting little place, although now more of an events space (with 25 advertised in December 2023 alone). Anyway, you need to pass through the florists shop to get up to first-floor level where the bar and seating / dining areas are (all looking quite festive when I called in). I found various interesting guest craft keg beers from the likes of Westerham and Abyss, but nothing on the three handpumps, but went for their own Pale (£5.50) in the end.