Lewes Beer Mile launches, changes on the High Street, new Charleston shows

The March 2024 issue of the Lewes List

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Welcome to the Lewes List. We’ve taken a winter break and, in that time, migrated to a different newsletter platform called Substack. Any issues, do email us here. 

The town, particularly the High Street, is in a state of great change with a number of long-standing businesses and two of the bank branches having closed last year. Plenty of empty shops remain, but there are signs of regeneration: the already wildly popular Little Lewes play café opened in December (see Family, below); a Cornish Bakery is opening on the precinct; a wine bar will open where Sussex Stationers once was; Taith, a pottery and coffee shop, will open at the top of the High Street; the White Hart Hotel is set to reopen this year under the Heartwood Collection; and, of course, Gail’s has (fairly controversially) opened at the bottom of School Hill. 

Food & Drink

News: Lewes Town Council and brewery Only With Love is launching the Lewes Beer Mile in collaboration with Beak, Abyss and Harvey’s, celebrating the town’s rich brewing history, connecting the BrewCafe, Abyss Brewery + Tap, the John Harvey Tavern and the Beak taproom. Collect a stamp at each, with a special edition Lewes Beer Mile tote bag available when you get four. In addition to beer, all four locations sell low and non-alcoholic beers, wines, soft drinks and food. There’s more here.

News: Abyss is offering fans of its beer the chance to invest in the business. Early investors will benefit from EIS tax breaks and receive 20% off Abyss beer for Life. There’s also plenty going on at the taproom this month (here).

Ps: Congratulations to Dill, which has been awarded a much-deserved Bib Gourmand by Michelin, and also to Caccia & Tails, which has opened a Brighton branch at 70 Preston Road – joining its Station Street and two Charleston locations. 

Community & Culture

News: There are two new shows at Charleston in Lewes, starting 27 March. Duos: The Art of Collaboration runs until 8 September and is a new group exhibition “showcasing shared canvases and dynamic working practices“. It features work from Rottingdean Bazaar, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, Boyd and Evans, and more. Tickets include access to Dorothy Hepworth and Patricia Preece: An Untold Story, opening the same day, “uncovering the remarkable collaborative endeavours of these two artists.” More here. 

News: Depot continues its Book to Film club with The Remains of the Day on 25 March, and is also taking part in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP24), the UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema – there’s more here. 

News: The full line-up for Charleston Festival, which includes comedian and actor Lenny Henry, author Marlon James, broadcaster Emily Maitlis and artist Grayson Perry, has been announced. It takes place from 16–27 May. More here.

News: A new exhibition featuring never-seen-before items and artworks from the much-loved illustrator Raymond Briggs opens at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft on 27 April, running until 27 October. It’s described as a highly personal show that will bring together 30 items from the late author's estate with over 100 original artworks from his 60-year career. More here.

News: Glydne Place is hosting the 10th season of its classical concert series. This includes April Laura van der Heijden, who is apparently considered one of the leading cellists of her generation, with Jâms Coleman (27 April) and Alim Beisembayev, who made his Proms debut in 2023 playing Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto conducted by John Wilson, on piano (25 May). More here.

13 March: The Mayor of Lewes is hosting a screening of The White Diamond, a Werner Herzog documentary set in Guyana, at Depot. Following the film, there will be a talk by the Lewes Swift Supporters, and John Agard and Grace Nichols will read some poetry. Any profit made will go to foodbanks in Lewes. More here. 

15 March: The Lewes Concert Orchestra’s The Spring Concert at Lewes Town Hall will include music from Schumann, Symphony No 4. Wine and refreshments available from the bar. Adults £15; under 18 £5. More here. 

21 April: A Spring Garland is a selection of spring and nature-themed choral music spanning five hundred years with The Baroque Collective Singers and a special guest appearance by baritone Andrew Robinson. Tickets £15 from here. 

Family

News: You already know this, of course, but: Little Lewes, a play café for 0-5-year-olds, opened up at 176 High Street, before Christmas. It’s already hugely popular and a very welcome addition to Lewes. More here. 

News: Dad La Soul, which started in Worthing with dad and kid playdates, launched in Lewes last month. Meeting on the third weekend of the month at The Dripping Pan, it’s a chance for dads to bring their children, take part in ‘fun and innovative activities’ and meet new friends at the same time. It says: ‘take part in events such as history craft, dad v kid rap battles, Punch and Judy sessions and a whole lot more. There’s also VR headsets to play with, dress-up, Lego, craft and a whole lot more. Including snacks and drinks.’ There’s more here.