Never went into this pub when it was the Jamaica Inn so can't really comment on what it was like before. It's another big pub which has been refurbed into a gastro/family friendly mould much like the Stoneham, the Dyke, the Good Companions etc. Like those pubs it seems instantly very popular, this is obviously a formula that works.

The beer is good with Timmy Taylor and a few other decent local ales.

The garden looks decent and is south facing. Was night and awful weather so didn't inspect closely.

Is it a good pub? For me not great, at least when I was there. Doesn't have the authentic pub atmosphere, it's loud and busy and popular but... missing authenticity perhaps, missing something anyway. Maybe in evening it's just portslades pre-club filling station.