Welcome to our World Cup supplement, which we will be running over the next five issues to let you know what World-Cup-related activity is going on in and around Lewes. This week we have visited 22 of the pubs and clubs in the town to find out how they are catering for the expected collective bout of World Cup frenzy which is likely to afflict at least half the townspeople if England make it past the group stage. Read it and you will find out which pub suits your tastes, whether you are looking for a half-crazed mob to cheer every goal with or a quiet spot which is mercifully football free. Over the following weeks we will also be looking further afield at pubs and venues in the surrounding area.

We would also like to remind you of the unique photo exhibition we will be holding in the Star Gallery after the tournament is over. The difference about this exhibition is that we are asking everybody in Lewes to contribute. We realise that the World Cup is about much more than just a few games of football. It captures the spirit of the people and generates a range of emotions from joy to despair. It brings the townspeople together. There is common focus. We hope that you will capture some of these emotions, and the pageantry that surrounds them, on film, and send your pictures into us. Enjoy the tournament, then, and, dare we say it, Viva England…

Our address is info@vivalewes.com - Viva Lewes, Bookshop Entrance, Pipe Passage, 151b The High St, Lewes BN71XU

Friday June 9th
Germany v Costa Rica 5pm BBC1
Poland v Ecuador 8pm ITV

Saturday June 10th
England v Paraguay 2pm BBC1
Trinidad and Tobago v Sweden 5pm ITV
Argentina v Ivory Coast ITV 8pm

Sunday June 11th
Serbia v Holland 2pm BBC1
Mexico v Iran 5pm BBC1
Angola v Portugal 8pm ITV

Monday June 12th
Australia v Japan 2pm ITV
USA v Czech Republic 5pm BBC1
Italy v Ghana 8pm BBC1

Tuesday June 13th
South Korea v Togo 2pm BBC1
France v Switzerland 5pm BBC1
Brazil v Croatia 8pm BBC1

Wednesday June 14th
Spain v Ukraine 2pm ITV
Tunisia v Saudi Arabia 5pm ITV
Germany v Poland 8pm ITV

World Cup Game

Some matches in the World Cup, especially in the early group stages, are better enjoyed with a game to liven them up. The best such game I ever played I came across during the 1994 World Cup. It can be played by any number of players greater than two. Each player must put a set amount of money into a kitty: let’s say a fiver. Then, before the game starts, players, working together, write out a number of things that might happen in the game. These might include: a throw in; a corner; a yellow card; the camera pans onto a female fan; the referee looks at his watch; the commentator mentions the 1966 final; a player takes his shirt off; a player is carried off on a stretcher; a penalty is missed; Peter Crouch does a robot dance, etc etc. Some should be relatively common occurrences, some more rare. Use your imagination. These are cut up, shuffled and dealt out ‘blind’, so each player has four in his ‘hand’.

When the game starts, and something happens which is written one of a player’s bits of paper, he announces this, and is handed the kitty. This means little at the start of the game, but a lot as it draws towards its conclusion – the person who is left holding the kitty at the end of the game wins all the money in it. Clearly it is important that nobody writes ‘referee blows the final whistle’ or the game would effectively be over before the match had even started. AL

The Beautiful Game

In 2001 Sven Goran Eriksonn made David Robert Joseph Beckham captain of England. Funnily enough, I would have chosen the exact same player. I would have dressed our David in purple, sat him on a throne and crowned him too. My decision would have had nothing to do with kicking a ball around on grass, though. The award I would give him would be for his stunning contribution to male fashion: the outrageous haircuts, the headgear, the funky trainers, the jewellery, the designer sunglasses. His influence has been to inject spice and colour into the interminably grim British male wardrobe and I, for one, bow down to him for that. It is so rare to see someone given a position of responsibility and power and to use it to such positive effect.

What is miraculous is that he has managed to keep up a totally masculine image while wearing matching diamond earrings, purple nail varnish and a skirt. How does he pull it off? England fans are hardly known for their open-mindedness. Why don’t they shout ‘rent boy’ to him? They did it to Le Saux and his only crime was to read The Guardian - Becks has his own perfume. Anyway, the editor has asked me to write a weekly column on the World Cup from a girly perspective, an alternative type of talent spotting. Next week we are going to look at Ronaldinho (do we need words on that one?) All hot tips on dream teams or where you would like to score VERY welcome. JW

What’s the World Cup lowdown? Nothing on in the main bar; to keep football-loving locals happy the back bar will show games.
Will I be able to see anything?‘Big’ TV will be there throughout the tournament.
Who ate all the pies? Normal bar menu available.
What’s the price of a pint? IPA £2.40, Stella £2.90.
Kids welcome? No.
If they were an England player they’d be…Phil Neville (on the reserve list).

What’s the World Cup lowdown? For the England games, get the full Rooks World Cup experience, including half time and full time analysis from Lewes FC manager Steve King. Other entertainment includes auctions, raffles and football based competitions, all in the company of your fellow Lewes fans…
Will I be able to see anything? Yes. There will be two large plasma screens in the clubhouse bar.
Who ate all the pies? Food, drink and t-shirt packages: Campbell (food and first drink for one game) £5; Terry (food and first drink for three games) £12; Beckham (food and first drink for three games plus t-shirt) £20
What’s the price of a pint? Bitter £2.40; Lager £2.60 (or £5 with burger and chips)
Kids welcome? Yes
If they were an England player they’d be… Peter Crouch

What’s the World Cup lowdown? Llandllordd Huw Jones says ‘fanatical England fans tend to congregate in front of the huge screen in the back bar.’ The pub can get packed out: for England games you need to arrive ‘early or very early’. He doesn’t stand for any nonsense. ‘Any sign of racist chanting and I’ll turn the TV off,’ he says. There is a new air conditioning and extraction system especially put in for the tournament.
Will I be able to see anything? Largest OHP screen in Lewes in one bar; two 42” plasma screens in second bar, 26” screen TV in the darts bit.
Who ate all the pies? Normal menu including the ‘famous’ Ellyburger.
What’s the price of a pint? Harvey’s £2.40 Carling £2.80
Kids welcome? No.
If they were an England player they’d be…Frank Lampard.

What’s the World Cup lowdown? All the games will be shown in the lower half of the restaurant as an extra service for diners. If England they reach the semis, they’ll clear away the tables and welcome all-comers. They will also theme their beers, where possible, according to the games on offer.
Will I be able to see anything? 50” plasma screen being planned.
Who ate all the pies? Normal international menu.
What’s the price of a pint? Harvey’s £2.50, Fosters £2.50
Kids welcome? Yes.
If they were an England player they’d be… Aaron Lennon.

What’s the World Cup lowdown? Kay, the manager, informs us that the Lamb will be a football free zone. “We don’t normally have a TV and we’ll be carrying on as normal,” she says. “We’d like to be seen as an alternative venue”.
Will I be able to see anything? No.
Who ate all the pies? New bar menu.
What’s the price of a pint? IPA £2.20, Fosters £2.60
Kids welcome? Up until 7pm.
If they were an England player they’d be… Paul Scholes

What’s the World Cup lowdown? ‘Big screen, air con, drinks promos, screech soccer, barbecues, Joolie P’s fun and games, shouting, screaming, cheering, hugging… er… face-painting etc.’
Will I be able to see anything? The England games will be shown on a big screen projector, all the other games will be shown on a normal TV.
Who ate all the pies? Holly’s baps behind the bar, pot noodle and a £1 corkage fee for take-aways.
What’s the price of a pint? Harveys £2.40 Castlemaine £2.65
Kids welcome? Not ideally.
If they were an England player they’d be… Theo Walcott.

What’s the World Cup lowdown? The Rainbow is aiming for a ‘proper football atmosphere’ says landlady Polly. ‘After a discussion with my husband it appears that we will be showing all the games. Non football fans can escape to the roof terrace.’ There will be half-time entertainment of quizzes and a sweepstake for charity.
Will I be able to see anything? They have two large plasmas and two additional TV’s within the bar area.
Who ate all the pies? Special menu including sausages, potato wedges and curry. ‘Football food’.
What’s the price of a pint? Harveys £2.60, Carlsberg £2.85
Kids welcome? Yes.
If they were an England player they’d be… David James.

What’s the World Cup lowdown? “A traditional football atmosphere,” say landlords Mick and Jamie. They expect to be packed out in their 70-seater upstairs bar. Arrive early if you want a seat for big games. Downstairs they are installing an additional 42” plasma screen for the duration of the tournament.
Will I be able to see anything? Upstairs 65” OHP screen, downstairs see above. There will be Dolby Surround Sound throughout the pub and garden.
Who ate all the pies? Normal menu available.
What’s the price of a pint? Harvey’s £2.35, Carling £2.80. Four-pint jugs on offer: Harvey’s £9, Stella £10.50
Kids welcome? Until 7pm.
If they were an England player they’d be… John Terry

What’s the World Cup lowdown? Good family option, though the main focus of attention on Saturday will be the Tennis Finals Day on court.
Will I be able to see anything? 42” plasma screen on one end of bar, and 26” TV at the other end.
Who ate all the pies? Big barbeque from 12 for England games: hot-dogs, burgers, ribs, cous cous, salad.
What’s the price of a pint? Harveys £2.40, Fosters £2.50, jug of Pimm’s promo £10.
Kids welcome? Very welcome, and there are plenty around.
If they were an England player they’d be… Tim Henman.

What’s the World Cup lowdown? This is your wild card option. As it the cricket season, Lewes Priory cricket club will be around, and the England games will be on. It is however a members’ club, so you will need to either join the club or persuade a current member to sign you in. Genteel atmosphere of cricket outside and football inside…
Will I be able to see anything? Yes – unless they turn the screens off to have tea…
Who ate all the pies? Grab some sarnies and cake off the tables.
What’s the price of a pint? Only tea was on offer when we visited, but it’s a rugby club in the winter so there must be a bar…
Kids welcome? Yes – as is new blood for the cricket teams apparently.
If they were an England player they’d be…David Gower

What’s the World Cup lowdown? There will be football songs on the juke box and karaoke in between games, according to landlady Debbie Nye. They will be showing every game and will be having a special promotion, raffle ticket and two people will receive VIP treatment for England games involving a sofa at the front and free drinks.
Will I be able to see anything? Yes. They have a brand-new OHP plus two additional 42” plasma screens.
Who ate all the pies? Normal menu, including burgers and some as yet unspecified ‘World Cup specials’.
What’s the price of a pint? Harvey’s £2.40, Spitfire £2.40, Carling £2.60, three bottles of Red Stripe/Fosters Ice for a fiver.
Kids welcome? Yes.
If they were an England player they’d be… Wayne Rooney

World Cup Photo Fever

Who needs to go to Germany, when the 2006 FIFA World Cup is coming to Lewes? The preamble to the pageant has already started: there are George crosses flying from cars, the kids are collecting their Panini stickers, everybody’s talking about Wayne Rooney’s metatarsal. The best is yet to come as the town catches its four-yearly dose of football fever. With this in mind, we have decided to call on the Lewes-area public to get their cameras out and record the event, sending in their best shots to us, whether they’re taken with a mobile phone or a top-of-the-range Nikon. They could be of anything World Cup-related: kids playing in international shirts in the park, the World Cup-themed raft race, the emotions of victory and defeat, the aftermath of the big game in your living room, or even your attempts to avoid the tournament entirely. Use your imagination, and send us in your shots, from now until the tournament has ended. We will be getting our team of photographers to do the same: we will publish photos throughout the tournament and when it all finishes, if the pictures are of a high enough quality, we will exhibit the best entries in the Star Gallery.

Send digital photos to: info@vivalewes.com

Send prints to: Viva Lewes, Bookshop Entrance, Pipe Passage, 151b The High St, Lewes, East Sussex BN71XU or for more info call: 01273 488882