The Clarence

Walk into The Clarence and you're in the sort of pub that's become rarer round here—no gimmicks, just good beer and the kind of crowd that'll chat to you at the bar. It's positioned nicely on Middle Street, that stretch where old Hastings still feels like itself, close enough to the seafront but far enough away to avoid the stag do circuit. The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious, the sort of place where you can nurse a proper pint or grab something to eat without anyone making a fuss about it. They're part of the Craft Union group, which means decent curation of what's on tap, but they've kept it grounded—this isn't some try-hard gastropub trying to prove a point.