In the late 60s when it was the Spotted Dog, it was well known as a gay bar and a place we were warned to stay away from. Having been away in Australia since 1973 I don't know what it is like now. Just down the road from there was a large night-club, Sherry's, where the young would go for a chat-up and a dance to the disco music. The dance floor was downstairs - upstairs was a huge runaround balcony where the tables and chairs were. We sat there looking down on the dancers and sipping our drinks. I remember at one time the favourite song to be played was 'Mouldy Old Dough' when absolutely everybody would stamp their feet heavily. It was a wonder the balcony didn't collapse! Coming out late at night we would see the gay couples lounging around outside the pub subjecting themselves to much ridicule, sometimes fights, in those prejudiced days.

As the 'Spotted Dog' this was where Brian Epstein used to drink when The Beatles came down to Brighton in about 1964. I was at Brighton Tech at the time and a group of us decided to try and kidnap Paul McCartney as a rag stunt. It never came off.