Dorset Arms Vat

Dorset Arms, 28 North Road, Brighton.

Blower B. Edwards.

Dorset Arms Vat

This building on the corner of North Road and Gardner Street in Brighton was probably built as a pub. As early as 1845, it was listed in street directories as the Dorset Arms.

From the beginning of the 20th century the pub was frequented by journalists and newspaper staff from the nearby Evening Argus building, before the Argus was relocated to Hollingbury in the early 1990s.

Now called The Dorset, the change in character of the pub from a working environment to a part of Brighton’s cafe society is indicative of the change that has taken place in the larger area of the North Laine, formerly the town’s main industrial area. The pub is now popular with a unique and friendly cross section of shoppers, local residents, theatre goers and day trippers. The Brighton Lesbian Group used to meet there twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays in the early 1980’s. Inquisitive regulars were told by the landlady Irene Shields that the group were the ‘Ladies Sports Club’!