Jon and I just wanted to say huge thank you for everything you did for our wedding.

I know many people say this, but we both felt that it really was our perfect day. You personally made the whole process so easy and enjoyable. You helped to keep it completely stress free from the moment we met you at the first meeting and all the way through. You always responded to us promptly and nothing was out of the question.

On the day, all the staff were nothing but impressive. All of our guests have shared how delicious all the food was and the bubbles and wine, that was chosen. Many of our guests had not been to the Jolly Sportsman before and now they certainly will be returning and that is down to how remarkable you and everyone there made our day.

I would also like to say how lovely you were also with our children and helping them feel involved in the whole process - they loved every second and will hopefully hold on to that memory forever! Thank you!

Jon and I can’t thank you all enough and i couldn’t recommend it strongly enough to any other couple who are looking for a magical day.

A huge big thank you to you and all the team.

Emma & Jon xx

We had our wedding reception here at the end of July, and the Jolly Sportsman delivered everything we wanted and more. It was the perfect setup for a summer garden wedding with a beautiful, large outdoor space (including outdoor bar) - the layout made it easy to set up lots of games and a fire pit. We hired the venue exclusively and were a party of about 85. The indoor area is great for creating a charming, cosy atmosphere and we were given free reign to personalise the space. The staff were all extremely friendly and helpful, none more than Chrissie who helped plan and organise the day. She is super responsive and informative, and goes the extra mile to help bring to life whatever you have in mind - she sourced speakers, a mic, an easel, a cake stand etc. She's also very kind and we could tell she was invested in our day. The food was great - lots of choice, large portions, and high quality. We got a lot of compliments! They're also very flexible about the bar tab and what's included and how you pay for it, which was very helpful. It's a lovely spot in the countryside, but very accessible from Lewes. The rooms above the pub were also very convenient for our guests and are lovely. We were looking for a beautiful place to have a relaxed, elegant, intimate-feeling, mainly outdoor reception with excellent food - we couldn't have done better than the Jolly!

Everything about our wedding party was just perfect. We fell in love with the Jolly straight away and Chrissie did everything she could to make it so special. It has a spectacular garden and the champagne bar outside is stunning. Speeches under the willow tree and delicious food and cocktails. The team accommodated everything we asked for including our band and DJ’s. Having the four bedrooms and delicious breakfast the next morning was fantastic. We 100% recommend The Jolly Sportsman for any couple looking for a classy, laid back but fun countryside wedding.

We celebrated our wedding reception at The Jolly Sportsman on 29th March 2025, and we couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day. After our ceremony at Lewes Registry Office, we made our way to this beautiful countryside venue, where the celebrations truly came to life.

As we arrived, we were greeted by our guests with a joyful confetti walk—a moment we’ll never forget. The setting was idyllic: nestled in the Sussex countryside, The Jolly Sportsman offered a warm, rustic charm that felt both relaxed and elegant. It was the perfect backdrop for our wedding breakfast and evening party.

We had around 60 guests, and the space was ideal—intimate enough to feel personal, yet spacious enough to accommodate more. The layout flowed beautifully from the indoor dining area to the garden, where we later enjoyed sparklers under the stars—a magical and fun way to end the evening.

The wedding breakfast was absolutely outstanding. The food was fresh, seasonal, and beautifully presented, with every dish reflecting the venue’s commitment to quality and local sourcing. Our guests were full of compliments, and the team catered to all dietary needs with ease and care.

A huge and heartfelt thank you to Chrissie and the entire team at The Jolly Sportsman. Their professionalism, flexibility, and genuine warmth made the planning process a joy. Chrissie was always available to talk through ideas and helped us create a bespoke experience that felt truly “us.” Nothing was too much trouble, and her calm, friendly presence made everything run smoothly on the day.

We also want to give a special shoutout to our incredible suppliers, who helped make the day even more memorable:

Simon Butler Photography – Simon captured every moment with such artistry and emotion. We’re thrilled with the photos and highly recommend him to any couple looking for timeless, natural wedding photography.
Adam Sayer (aka The London Piano Man) – Adam brought the evening to life with his amazing live music. His energy, talent, and ability to read the room kept everyone dancing and singing along well into the night.
From start to finish, The Jolly Sportsman delivered a wedding experience that was heartfelt, seamless, and full of joy. If you’re looking for a venue that combines stunning surroundings, exceptional food, and a team that truly cares, we can’t recommend it highly enough.

Thank you again to Chrissie and everyone at The Jolly Sportsman for helping us create memories we’ll cherish forever.

We had our wedding meal here in the summer of 2024 and it was absolutely perfect. Chrissie and the team are delightful and couldn’t be more helpful. For my money the Jolly Sportsman is the best gastropub in Sussex. Nothing beats it for quality of food, wine list (plus the ales), gorgeous setting and service. Everyone left happy and singing the Jolly Sportsman’s praises, even the Greek in-laws who are generally very skeptical about British food and hard to please. Recommend recommend recommend.

From our first email to the day of, Chrissie and the team at Jolly Sportsman were incredibly helpful, flexible and attentive - making my wedding day a breeze. Knowing we were planning the wedding from Australia, Chrissie was incredibly patient with my many many emails/questions :) The service, food and venue made our day so special - we couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate the day! All our guests had nothing but positive words to say about the venue. Honestly, THANK YOU!

We held our wedding reception at ‘The Jolly’ at the end of September and it was just the perfect day for us. The setting is stunning, and the food was amazing. We received so many compliments on the quality of the dishes and how attentive the staff were throughout.

The weather was touch and go, but Rob, Chrissie, and the team were really flexible and accommodating so we could thoroughly enjoy our day.

We stayed there the night before and the night of our wedding day. The rooms were bright, modern and clean with lovely views of the South Downs.

Highly recommend, you won’t be disappointed! Thanks again to all the team.

The team at the Jolly Sportsman went above and beyond to make sure our day was perfect. We had a small wedding reception lunch (13 people) in the pub's garden room, with drinks and canapés in the garden beforehand. The team was extremely flexible in meeting our requests and expectations. They were very communicative and made us feel confident that our wedding day was in good hands. The food was delicious and the team worked with us to create our perfect menu. My husband and I stayed in one of the four guest rooms during our wedding weekend; the rooms are very comfortable, spacious, well equipped, and well presented. The Jolly Sportsman itself is set in the East Sussex countryside; the surrounding rural area is beautiful and romantic, yet is within close driving distance to Lewes and Brighton. In particular we would like to thank Chrissie and Rob for making our day perfect! We would highly recommend the Jolly Sportsman for your wedding or special event.

We had our wedding reception at the Jolly Sportsman is June 2023 and cannot recommend this venue enough. All our guests commented on the incredible food, service and the stunning garden which we enjoyed all day. We had an intimate wedding with under 50 guests and were still able to privately hire the entire venue.

The highlight for us was the flexibility the Jolly offered. We really didn't want a "package" wedding where the venue dictated the times and what we could do (losing the personal touch) - which the Jolly were really on board with. When we first met with Chrissie (who was amazing throughout) she stressed that the day was ours to choose what we did - which was a breath of fresh air after viewing other venues. Chrissie actioned all our plans, and followed through with everything we asked for making the day perfect. Without a formal wedding coordinator, there is always a concern the bride or groom may end up managing things on the day - this was not the case at all and we both felt like guests at the wedding with attentive service and no element of "hosting" involved.

The pub also has 4 boutique rooms which was great for us as the bride and groom to stay in, as well as family, with an amazing breakfast the wedding morning and next day.

The whole experience with the Jolly Sportsman was faultless from start to finish and I couldn't think of a better place to recommend for a wedding reception if you like excellent food, attentive staff and a stunning location.

The team at the Jolly were really warm, welcoming and accommodating. It really felt like they wanted to make our day as special as they could. The food was delicious, with a special mention to the canapés that were both beautiful and so tasty! It was really nice to have the rooms upstairs for close family to stay. We had a really magical day.