Viva Brighton Issue #60 February 2018

BITS AND BARS
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PUB: THE PLOTTING PARLOUR
The earliest listing we can find
for the establishment currently
known as ‘The Plotting Parlour’
is back in 1822, when the place
was known as ‘The Brighton
Packet’, referring to the ‘packet’
ships which would take passengers
to Dieppe from the nearby
beach: in 1823 the Chain Pier
was built to facilitate this trade.
Another famous local landmark
built in the vicinity was the
Brighton Aquarium, which was
opened with much fanfare in
1871. The pub’s proximity to
such a popular tourist destination
prompted a change of name by
proprietor George Phillips, who
attempted to cash in by renaming
the place ‘The Aquarium Inn’
in 1873.
And so it remained until winter
2012, though in the years
preceding that it was known –
with tongue slipping into cheek
– as the ‘Aquarium Theatre Bar’.
In these latter years it was very
much a gay bar, with a rainbow
flag attached above the doorway.
It was famous for the musical
entertainment on offer, including
regular karaoke nights led by
landlord Michael Conran, quite
the crooner. It was nicknamed
‘the fish tank’. Michael sadly
passed away shortly before The
Aquarium closed down.
The establishment remained
empty until October 2014, when
it reopened in a very different
guise, as a shabby-chic cocktail
bar, with its current alliterative
moniker. I pop in one midweek
early evening, and perch on a
table in the front section of the
place, facing the bar. The fittings
are upmarket quirky in this room
and the adjacent one: flip-up
theatre seats, red velvet furniture,
burnished copper walls, ceiling
murals, you get the picture.
After scrutinising the menu
for some time – it needs it – I
choose a ‘Santini Sour’ (£9.50)
which is formed, I’m told, of
Martell VS, yuzu, blood orange
and rosemary, and is described
as ‘A short and fresh reminder
of the summertime. A rosemary
sugar rim counteracts the dry
and sharp flavours of orange and
yuzu’. I have to consult Google
to understand what the latter
ingredient is. I also get given a
jug of water, and some wasabi
peas I’ve ordered. These are so
powerful, they make me hiccup.
I sip my drink between gulps of
water to make it last. Truth be
told, I could have ordered anything
on the menu. In choosing
this one, I ignore cocktails such
as ‘Sage against the Machine’,
‘Flight of the Buffalo’ and
‘Mange Tout, Rodney, Mange
Tout’. Judging from the smashing
combination of tastes I get
from my drink, it’s not going to
be all about the names, though.
I’ll be back, perhaps for a pickme-up
before going to a gig in
town. Alex Leith
6 Steine Street
Painting by Jay Collins
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