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    Fiveways Brighton Guide: Where to Go, Eat and Drink

    Fiveways high street viewed from the taproom

    Fiveways is the leafy, village-like pocket of Brighton about two miles north of the seafront, where five roads meet north of Preston Park. It is a place for a slow Saturday: a coffee on the high street, a walk up to the Downs, then a pint of something brewed in Sussex. This guide covers where it is, how to get there, what to do, and how to plan a party or a stag do here. We run Lost And Found Taproom at 298 Ditchling Road, so we write it as neighbours.

    Lost And Found Taproom
    Explore Sussex Craft Beer in Fiveways
    Visit Lost And Found Taproom for a rotating selection of local brews and independent Sussex beers, available to enjoy on-site or take home.
    Visit the taproom

    TL;DR

    • Fiveways sits around two miles north of Brighton seafront, named after the junction of Ditchling Road, Hollingbury Place, Hythe Road, Stanford Avenue and Preston Drove.
    • It is residential and community-minded, with independent cafés and shops, Preston Park and Blakers Park close by and the South Downs a short walk up Ditchling Road.
    • Buses run along Ditchling Road, Preston Park station is a short walk south, and the seafront is roughly a 40-minute walk.
    • Lost And Found is a craft beer taproom and bottle shop where every beer and cider is from independent Sussex breweries, with venue hire that carries no hire fee.
    • Check any food business’s hygiene rating on the official Food Standards Agency site before you eat.

    Table of Contents

    Where Fiveways is and what it feels like

    Fiveways is around two miles north of Brighton seafront and takes its name from the central junction. Ofsted’s local-area profile places it within the Brighton and Hove authority area as an urban neighbourhood with a population of roughly 7,900, so it is small enough that people recognise each other in the shops.

    The five roads that meet here are, according to a local lettings guide, Ditchling Road, Hollingbury Place, Hythe Road, Stanford Avenue and Preston Drove. The neighbourhood sits north of Preston Park and rises along Ditchling Road towards the South Downs.

    If you know Brighton for the Lanes, the pier and the nightlife, Fiveways is the opposite mood. The same guide describes it as a family-led residential area with a high street of cafés, an independent bookshop, a chemist, a fishmonger and a deli, and as less seafront-focused than Kemptown or Hove. Another local guide points to its tranquillity, Victorian houses and proximity to the South Downs National Park.

    In practice that means you come to Fiveways to do ordinary things well: buy good bread, browse a bookshop, sit outside a café, then settle into a local for the evening.

    Getting to Fiveways

    You do not need a car, and on a busy weekend you will not want one.

    • Bus: buses run frequently along Ditchling Road, which is the spine of the neighbourhood. Check the operator’s current timetable for your route on the day.
    • Train: Preston Park station is a short walk south and London Road station is to the east, according to the same guide. Both are handy if you are coming in from elsewhere in Sussex or from London via Brighton.
    • On foot: walking from the seafront takes about 40 minutes, mostly uphill on the way back, so it is a good way to earn a pint and a poor way to end the night.
    • Up to the Downs: walking up Ditchling Road reaches Hollingbury and the open downs within 25 to 30 minutes.

    Parking is residential and busy at weekends and event times. If you are heading to a party, leave the car at home and plan your return by bus or taxi.

    What to do around Fiveways

    Parks, views and a walk

    Nearby leisure options include Preston Park, Blakers Park, access towards the South Downs, the Duke of York’s Picturehouse and local walking and sporting facilities. A sensible afternoon: a loop through Preston Park or Blakers Park, then back down to Ditchling Road for something to eat and drink.

    Walking path winding through Preston Park

    The high street

    The pleasure here is in independents rather than chains. Wander the Ditchling Road stretch for coffee, a deli lunch, a bookshop browse and a fishmonger’s counter. It is a walkable, compact strip, so you can sample a lot in an hour or two.

    Community events

    Fiveways has a real community calendar. The Fiveways Fair, listed by The Maker’s Fair, celebrates independent makers, artists and small businesses and raises funds for St Richard’s Community Support Café and St Matthias Playcafé. It is a good one for early Christmas gifts. Check the organiser’s page for the current date and details before you plan around it.

    We host events too, from tastings to screenings, and share what is coming up on our taproom blog.

    Drinking in Fiveways: Sussex beer without the guesswork

    Sussex has a deep brewing scene, and Brighton’s independents are a big part of it. The trouble for a visitor is knowing where to start. Our answer is to make the choice for you in the best way: everything we pour is from an independent Sussex brewer.

    At Lost And Found Taproom, every beer and cider on tap is produced in Sussex by independent breweries, and the lineup rotates, so a return visit rarely tastes the same. You can see what is currently available on our online beer menu before you leave the house, and browse the full range of beer, cider, bottles, wines and spirits on our on tap page.

    A few ways to approach it:

    For the story behind who makes what, read the real story behind every pint at Fiveways.

    Eating in Fiveways and checking hygiene ratings

    Between the high street’s cafés and delis and the street food vans we host at the taproom, you will not go hungry. We serve XXL hot dogs, and our street food collaborations change, so see the on tap page for what is coming.

    If you want to check any food business before you eat, use the official scheme. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme gives a 0 to 5 rating based on hygienic food handling, the condition of the premises and how food safety is managed, and the ratings can be searched online through the Food Standards Agency for England, Northern Ireland and Wales. In England, displaying the sticker is voluntary, though businesses are encouraged to put it in a window or on a door, so a missing sticker is not a warning sign by itself. Search the business name and postcode on the official site instead.

    Food hygiene rating scale and assessment criteria

    Planning a party or stag do in Brighton

    Brighton’s reputation for stag and hen weekends is well earned, and most of those groups head for the seafront. Fiveways suits a different kind of celebration: a relaxed, local party where you can talk without shouting. Here is what we would sort out first.

    1. Headcount and date. Fix a realistic number and a date early. Weekends and the lead-up to Christmas fill first.
    2. Hire format. Decide whether a midweek or a weekend slot suits your group. Midweek is easier to book; weekends suit guests travelling in.
    3. Drinks. Agree what you want to drink and whether you need a non-alcoholic option for the designated drivers.
    4. Food. Plan for it. A long evening of beer with no food goes badly. Street food vans or hot dogs solve it without a catering bill.
    5. Music and decorations. Ask what is allowed. Some venues restrict both.
    6. Getting home. Check buses and book taxis ahead for late finishes.
    7. Stag-specific. Tell the venue what the group is like in advance. Tell them if there is a surprise, a costume or an activity planned before or after.

    If you are hosting at home instead and want the aftermath handled, a local firm offering cleaners in Brighton and Hove can take care of the clean-up.

    What “free venue hire” usually means

    Plenty of venues advertise free hire. It is often a genuinely good deal, but the detail matters, because the cost has to come from somewhere. Before you commit, ask:

    • Is there a minimum bar spend? This is the usual model: no hire fee, but your group commits to spending a set amount across the night.
    • What does the spend cover? Drinks only, or food too?
    • Is the space exclusive? Exclusive use is very different from a reserved table in an open bar.
    • What are the times? Know the start, the finish and when the bar stops serving.
    • What can you change? Decorations, music and drink choices are worth confirming.
    • What happens if numbers drop? Ask whether the minimum can flex.
    • Is anything extra? Security, glassware, staffing or cleaning are common surprises.

    Get the answers in writing, and ask for the minimum spend figure directly rather than assuming. Our own set-up is simple: venue hire gives you exclusive use with no hire fee, and a minimum bar spend applies. Midweek and weekend hire are both available, and you choose the decorations, the music and the drinks. We do not publish a spend figure on the page, so ask us for the one that applies to your date and group size.

    Why we think Fiveways is worth the walk up the hill

    We opened our taproom in Fiveways because it is the kind of place where a business can be part of the neighbourhood rather than just trade in it. The area is residential and community-led, so the venues that work are the ones that treat regulars and newcomers the same way.

    That shapes how we run things. We source every beer and cider from independent Sussex breweries because we would rather have a smaller, more honest range than a long list that could be in any city. We rotate the lineup so there is always something to ask about. We let groups use the space without a hire fee because a party in a neighbourhood taproom should feel like it belongs to the people having it, with their own music, their own decorations and their own taste in drinks.

    And we think the best way to know a place is to sit in it. Fiveways rewards the unhurried: a walk, a coffee, a conversation at the bar. That is what we are here for.

    — The Lost And Found Taproom team

    Come and find us on Ditchling Road

    We are at 298 Ditchling Road, in the middle of Fiveways. Drop in for a pint or a bottle to take home, see what is on at our on tap page, or ask about a party.

    Lost And Found Taproom

    Planning a celebration? Look at our midweek and weekend venue hire, or read why our taproom works as a Fiveways party venue.

    FAQ

    Where exactly is Fiveways in Brighton?

    Fiveways is a neighbourhood around two miles north of the seafront, centred on the junction where Ditchling Road, Hollingbury Place, Hythe Road, Stanford Avenue and Preston Drove meet. It sits north of Preston Park. The postcodes around Ditchling Road here begin BN1 6.

    How do I get to Fiveways without a car?

    Buses run along Ditchling Road, Preston Park station is a short walk to the south and London Road station is to the east. From the seafront it is about a 40-minute walk. Check live timetables for your route on the day.

    Is Fiveways a good area for a night out?

    It suits a relaxed night better than a big one. The area is residential and community-focused, with independent cafés, shops and a taproom, rather than the clubs of the seafront. If you want a lively party with your own group, a hired space here works well.

    Is venue hire really free at Lost And Found?

    There is no hire fee for exclusive use of the taproom. A minimum bar spend applies, so ask us for the figure for your date and group size. You choose the decorations, music and drinks.

    Can I see the beer and food menus before I visit?

    Yes. Our beer menu and our food options are available online, and the range of beers rotates, so it is worth checking before you come.

    Sources

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