The Hope & Ruin
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Brighton
What it’s like
A pub venue with gigs, poetry nights and a plant-based kitchen, open to families until 8pm.
This is a proper Brighton pub with a 150-capacity room upstairs doing live music, poetry nights and the odd art happening, plus the usual bar business downstairs: DJ nights, quizzes, that sort of thing. During the day it's a normal pub with food and a laid-back feel, and it's only once the evening properly kicks in that it turns into something you'd want to leave the kids at home for.
That's the catch worth knowing before you plan around it: children are welcome, but only until 8pm. So a daytime visit or an early tea works, an evening gig doesn't. The kitchen is entirely plant-based, run by Beelzebab, doing seitan kebabs, loaded fries and hot dogs, with vegan brownies and gelato for pudding, which is a nice surprise if you weren't expecting a proper vegan menu in a gig pub.
Entry is free for a lot of what's on, with some paid events at a flat £5. There's no booking link listed, so it sounds like a turn-up-and-see-what's-on sort of place rather than one where you plan weeks ahead. Dogs are welcomed anytime too, which tells you a fair bit about the general vibe: relaxed, a bit scruffy round the edges, and not precious about who wanders in during the day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Food
- 100% plant-based kitchen by Beelzebab serving seitan kebabs, loaded fries, hot dogs, monthly specials, vegan brownies and gelato/sorbets
- Dogs
- Friendly well behaved dogs welcomed anytime
- Kids are only welcome until 8pm, so it's a daytime or early-evening visit
- The kitchen is 100% plant-based, run by Beelzebab
- Some events are free, others are a flat £5, no set pattern given
- Dogs are allowed anytime if you're bringing one along
Plan your visit
Can we bring the kids?
Yes, until 8pm. After that it shifts into evening gig and bar mode, which isn't really set up for children.
How much does it cost to get in?
Free for most events. Some paid ones are a flat £5.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's no booking link listed, so it looks like you just turn up.
What's the food like?
Entirely plant-based, done by Beelzebab: seitan kebabs, loaded fries, hot dogs, vegan brownies and gelato.
What's actually on?
Live music in the 150-capacity upstairs room, regular poetry nights, and bar events like DJ sets, quizzes and art happenings.
Are dogs allowed?
Friendly, well-behaved dogs are welcomed anytime.
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