Harry and Sally Fields will relaunch The Snowdrop early next month following a brief cosmetic refresh.
The news comes as Dominic McCartan retires after 17 years at The Snowdrop and more than 25 years running pubs in Brighton and Lewes.
Sally previously worked for McCartan and his late partner Tony Leonard when they took on The Roebuck Inn in nearby Laughton, which continues to trade under different management.
“The Snowdrop wasn’t for sale, but we knew that Dom wanted to retire,” she says. “It feels a bit like keeping it in the family.
“We’ve bought the freehold, so it’s a big investment for us. It’s very daunting and very exciting.”
The Fields will take possession of the pub at the end of this month and plan to reopen it largely as it is, although the upstairs space will be turned into a dining room.
Downstairs will retain the feel of a traditional pub, serving bar snacks including pork scratchings, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and pork pies.
The dining room will offer a short à la carte menu alongside events including curry and steak nights.
“It’s about the produce, the suppliers and getting the best ingredients in, then putting them into a casual setting,” Harry says.
“It isn’t going to be Squisito at The Snowdrop and there won’t be any gimmicks. It’s a pub and we want it to be regarded as a great pub, not as some sort of novelty pub.”
The drinks offer will have a strong local focus, with the couple working with Lewes-based breweries Harvey’s and Beak.
They also hope to establish a beer trail that will encourage visitors to explore the town’s pubs and breweries, potentially supported by a map and merchandise.
“I really want to cement the Lewes beer trail as something tourists can get stuck into,” Harry says.
“A modern-day pub should be somewhere you can stop for half a pint and a Scotch egg on the way somewhere, or somewhere you can have a four-course meal, finish with a sweet wine, sherry or whisky, and really make an evening of it.
“It sounds ambitious to say we want to be all things to all people, but that’s important to us. We want to make sure no side of the equation feels isolated.”
McCartan and Leonard acquired The Snowdrop in 2009, having previously operated Brighton pubs The Eagle and The Spotted Dog.
Under their ownership, the freehouse won regional titles at the Great British Pub Awards and became known for its food, beer and live music.
Dating back to 1840, The Snowdrop takes its name from the Lewes avalanche of 1836, which killed eight people and remains Britain’s deadliest recorded avalanche.
The Fields will continue to operate Squisito at The Needlemakers, which launched in 2022 and specialises in fresh pasta and seasonal Italian-inspired dishes.