Its name may sound old fashioned but this recently refurbished pub is looking towards a bright future.

The Venue
The Northern Tavern has re-opened after a £90,000 refurbishment under the watchful eye of the former manager of The Gladstone, The Eddy and The Conqueror, as well as the Doghouse in London. Freshly painted in white and blue on the outside it’s clean, modern, light and airy. There's a lovely decked area out the back which has the ability to transport you to lazy days in southern Spanish feel with its bright white walls, potted plants, big blue umbrellas and metal tables.

The People
Open till the early hours on Fridays and Saturdays, locals love the fact that they only have to roll the few metres home after a night filled with good conversation and a few too many glasses of wine.

The Food and Drink
There’s a good wine list which includes Australian Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Grigios from around £10 a bottle or £3.80 for a glass. Most interestingly, the pub has also taken on chef Neal Tatham, who trained under Marco Pierre White which explains the stylish interpretations of traditional favourites such as mezze, home-made scotch eggs and Northern comfort food.

The Last Word
A definite welcome re-addition to the Brighton pub scene, it's still early days at the Northern Tavern but it's going in the right direction and if it continues moving forward in the same vein this could easily become one of Brighton's most recommended pubs.