William the Fourth review

The William the Fourth pub is situated in the North Laine on Church Street re-opened last month after a renovation.

The pub was taken over by the Indigo pub chain who own other Brighton pubs such as Hare and Hounds and The Hobgoblin. The Indigo chain now own over ten pubs in Brighton as older, struggling drinking joints have been taken over in an effort to make them profitable again.

Significant refurbishments have been carried out on the old and historic building; the outer wall has been stripped away to reveal the original green tiles underneath. Inside it is clear a lot of effort has been put in in an attempt to modernise the pub, without a fruit machine in sight.

A long line of colourful beer pump badges indicated there is a strong focus on craft beer and ale, a theme that runs throughout Indigo’s pubs. However, I opted for a cider for the princely sum of £4.70, 30p of which was a card charge for spending less than £5.

Inside, the pub puts a modern twist into the décor with mirrors and orb shaped lamps hanging from the ceiling. The design is probably the pub’s greatest attribute as it includes a lot of dark wood, reminiscent of the old-style pub it used to be.

The location is very much to the pub’s advantage, midday on a Thursday and nearly all seats were taken; although it should be noted it was raining rather heavily. Just on the edge of the North Laine right next to the tourist-dense North Street means it is able to attract a lot of passing trade, although this does mean it is a stones-throw away from Wetherspoons.

Overall, the pub is not a bad one. Perhaps a little pricey but you will be hard-pressed to find a pint for less than £4 outside of happy hours and student deals. The drink is cold and crisp, and the pub also has a food menu with a wide variety of pub favourites.

It just seems to lack character as it has taken a step, albeit a necessary one, away from a traditional pub atmosphere without being something completely new and refreshing.

Rating - 3.5/5