Franklin Tavern

this pub is fine for a Cheep drink and some good music from the old Motown days once a month ok if you can stand four hours of the same old music.
I like a mix of old and new music myself so if you want a good pub pay a visit.
oh and tell the management that it may be a good thing to employe a second disco that plays up to date as well as older music that way you cater for all age groups. trotters mobile is fantastic the dj Steve plays new and old music.

I went there because it said on the door free wifi. i asked at the bar how it works to be sure and the first thing what the lady there told me is that i have to have a drink if i want to use it. well, that was my plan anyways. So i got a pint of cider and after one hour that lady came again and said if i want to spent a nother hour here i have to order a nother drink. i was too busy with my work and just ordered a nother one. but the pressure she put on me was bothering. then i sat down with my second pint and she came up again and said: «are u using our electrisity? well the internet is for free but not the electrisity!» wow i tough myself. she really knows how to make people feel unwelcome. And then after exact 2 hours she came again and told i ll have to go if i dont drink more. wtf? i had two large ones. i should have taken two small ones then, or what? i said i just need a sec to finish this and she just swiched of the lights in the corner i was.
they should not say they have free internet when they stress and force people so much. i don t have a prob having some drinks but that was just very bugging.
Also other customers gave me some evil eyes and it seems they don t like strangers there very much.
toilets stink heavly like urine.
all in all a bad and enoying experiance.
will need a lot of convicing to change my mind to go get me back there.

After my initial open mindedness to The Franklin, I was greeted instantly with a crowd of awkward looks. I had heard from a few friends that this wasn’t a very friendly place and had encounter hostility from other patrons of the pub, even on one occasion racial slurs were muttered under breaths. This has nothing to do with the pub itself but it’s not a nice place to go for a drink. The boisterous rabble only subdued when given live football to watch, I left whilst things were quiet.

This place does have nice interior except for the area which has 2 pool tables and 3 dart boards which, is the only part of the pub that lets it down in terms of décor.
It sometimes does have ‘punters’ that are a bit hard nosed and can be a bit intimidating given the numbers. However, this isn’t always the case especially on a Sunday afternoon. I have had meals here a few times on a Sunday and for the money you pay I am always pleased with the result. The drinks are good value also so there is not too much wrong with this pub and I personally feel it harsh to give them 1 star.
There are not many better pubs too nearby so if your in the area then it would be fine to pop in for a quick one to see what the atmosphere is like. I’d also say that it is a mans pub but that this shouldn’t put women off.
The one night to maybe steer clear is Saturday as Ross touched on before it can get a little bit rowdy on this night of the week.

During an entire year of living just around the corner, I visited this establishment twice. The first time, to check out my new local and the second time to verify whether I had judged too hastily the first time around! Turns out, I should have followed my first impression. This place is awful. It’s massive, devoid of any character or pleasant atmosphere and generally made me shudder every time I walked home. The Lewes Rd can feel pretty ropey late at night, and as Ross M. observes, the Franklin Tavern seems to contribute heavily to the sketchiness, becoming a hub of drunken fights and dodgy characters. The first time I frequented the place, I spent the entire time on the edge of my seat, wishing that my pint would drink itself and that the sleazy men propping up the bar would stop eyeing our table. The second time I ventured erroneously back, the food was awful (‘traditional pub grub’ turned out to be a microwaved burger… I should have known better) and my friend got verbally assaulted by a drunk at the bar. The number of TVs in this joint is quite frankly ridiculous.
My advice? Steer clear.

I’ve been to this place a couple of times, and generally enjoyed the experience. The food’s very good, the range of drinks is ok, and there’s tvs everywhere so you can keep up to date regards the latest football scores, or the news. That said, sometimes the atmosphere here can seem a little scary. Even walking past this pub can seem like a daunting experience late at night, as some members of the Franklin’s cliental do possess a strong violent overtone, and it always feels like something might kick off.