Before I was even a proper pub, I was a humble and practical part of this bustling town. My earliest memories aren't of beer taps and bar stools, but of straw and horses. This area, you see, used to be the coach house and stables for the grander Montpelier and Clifton residences nearby. Horses came and went, stamping their hooves where my main bar now stands, pulling carriages for the well-to-do o
f Brighton. There was a time, many decades ago, when I was eyed for a different purpose entirely. The local residents' association had grand plans to turn me into a community centre, maybe even a little theatre. They couldn't raise the funds, though, and I remained a stable old structure, waiting for my true calling. That calling, it seems, was always the pub trade. I became The Castle for a long stretch, a solid, dependable name for a solid, dependable place. I saw generations pass through my doors, sharing stories and warmth. I even had a brief, less dignified phase where I answered to the rather bland name of PG's. Then came my first golden age: I became the original Pull & Pump. This was a grand time! I was an independent house, known far and wide as a shrine to tequila. I had 64 types of pure agave tequila and mezcal, if you can believe it! The air hummed with good cheer and the clink of shot glasses. I was a beloved local, a beacon of good times and strong spirits. But time, as it always does, brought a sudden, jarring shift. In August 2022, new owners arrived with a very peculiar vision. They closed me down for a makeover, and when I reopened, I was... different. I had become The Cauldron, a "magical-themed" cocktail bar. The wands, the wizard robes, the "potion-making" experiences—it was all terribly commercial and, frankly, a bit embarrassing. My old regulars shook their heads and mourned the loss of their independent pub to a "marketing beer stain". It felt like wearing a costume that didn't fit, and I yearned for the simplicity of a good, honest pint. Mercifully, that era was short-lived. The "magic" business decided this spot wasn't right for them, and they shut up shop in June 2025. Then, my salvation arrived in the form of my new owner, Simon. He saw the true potential of my old bones. He stripped away the theatrical gimmickry, restoring me to my former glory. In July 2025, I proudly raised my sign once more as Pull & Pump. So here I stand today, no longer a stable, no longer a potential theatre, and certainly no longer a wizard's den. I'm just a proper, traditional pub again, focusing on great beer and good food, welcoming my community back home. And that, my friend, is the honest-to-goodness story of this old building.
