I've been waiting to drink on
Hastings Pier again for quite a while now, and they do sell bottle-conditioned
St Austell Proper Job, at 5.5% a beefed up and better version of the cask ale I believe, and many others agree, and which helped me through the dreaded lockdowns (
blog). So I visited
La Belle Vue (
website) on the pier, the recently opened French bistro and bar, and chatted to the proprietor Keir a couple of days before coming here for a drink, indeed, I took the photograph above on the south facing upstairs 'outside' bar just before meeting her.
I came back on Saturday and drank in the downstairs bar, where I was served by the proficient Lucien, who I got on famously with as he had studied at the University of Exeter, and I had trained and worked in Exeter many years before, indeed, before he was born! 😁 However, when he wasn't carrying out his dealing with other customer duties we did share memories of the wonderful city that is Exeter, and which feels more like a town, and where I haven't visited since 2009, having lived here in the mid/late 1980s (
blog written by Kieran).
I did drink a few pints, first, La Belle Vue Cidre (4.8%), which I believe to be from Appleshed Cider of Hereford (twitter), and made with apples that grow in their own "orchards that shelter beneath the Malvern Hills in Gloucestershire." A medium dry cider, not as dry as the usual ciders I drink, but very refreshing, and just £4.40 a pint, on a seaside pier, great value indeed!
I then drank La Belle Vue Lager, or Bière Blonde (4.0%), I haven't been able to work out where it's from, but it was very good, and tasted more like a Belgian blonde ale than a lager to me, although not quite the potency of many Belgian beers. 😁 At 4.0% I could drink this all day, and at just £4.25 a pint, I could nearly afford to drink it all day, excellent value! 😉
My final pint was of Grand Central IPA (above photo and 4.2%), which is brewed in the Manchester area, I believe by Hydes Brewery of Salford. This is what I call a 'crafty keg' beer, and 'vegan friendly' with a slight haze. Brewed with 6 different hops from the USA and Australia, consequently packed with citrus and forest fruit flavours, and quite delicious, cheers!
Oh yes, and
La Belle Vue is primarily a French restaurant (
website), with traditional French starters including
Soupe à l'oignon, Escargot,
Leek Terrine et
Cuisses de grenouille, main meals as the above menu, and interesting bar snacks too (
facebook). I also briefly chatted to another couple of staff, very friendly respectful service, and met up with Keir again, which was a nice touch to end my visit, I'll be back! 👌
Also, St Andrews Mews, which I have written about a few times before, eg blog, is under new ownership, and pastel shades of paint are now adorning the walls, and things are changing indeed. The cafe that was there has been enlarged and is now a 'bar & grill' and a smaller takeaway coffee outlet has arrived too, some businesses are staying, some have left, and some new ones are arriving, watch this space!
After the fire at 39-41 George Street, reported in this blog, and the postponement of the new building project, I have it on good authority the demolition of the old amusement arcade/night club is happening. Sadly, the neighbouring Rainbow Restaurant, 11 Sturdee Place, cannot start it's own rebuilding/refurbishment until the demolition is complete and it is safe to work there, so not for some months yet (facebook).
Oh yes, forgot to mention that the drainage appears to be sorted out, at least here!
