One of the best loved bars on the seafront, the Fortune of War is decked out like a ship inside but somehow it manages to escape coming across as tacky.

The Venue
Dating back to 1882 the bar opens out on to the beach. The outdoor seating is ever popular although in summer the entire space is heaving. On the ground floor seafront level there's a bar that opens specifically to serve the terrace overspill and it's touches like this that play a major part in its popularity.

Like the upside-down galley of a ship inside, it's snug and all the walls are wood panelled. As well as the bar on the beachfront, there 's also a bar inside up the stairs which uses ropes as bannisters. Handy when you've had a few.

As for the rest of the interior, there's an elevated front section with a view out to the sea and it gets darker and darker the further back you go into the belly of the beast. At weekends it's open till the early hours, packed with pre-clubbers whilst during the week it's slightly more sedate.

The People
During the week the Fortune of War is mainly crammed with the city's more savvy students whilst at weekends, clubbers in all their finery drop by as the music is cranked up and the party gets underway.

The Drink
There's a selection of draught beers and cider from the pumps including Kronenbourg, Fosters, Strongbow and Westons, as well as bottled beers such as Bulmers, Green Goblin and San Miguel. However, it's the shots that really raise the tempo at weekends with bar staff who can choose the perfect shot to suit the occasion every time.

The Last Word
A good place to hide yourself away from the heat of the beach, the Fortune of War has been the scene of many Bank Holiday shenanigans. When the revelry is all over and you're watching the sun set out to sea however, it's hard to find many other bars that'll leave you feeling more calm and content.