Sussex Arms — Shane MacGowan Drank Here

The Sussex Arms is a traditional pub tucked away on Sussex Mews in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It bears a blue plaque commemorating its association with Shane MacGowan, the legendary frontman of The Pogues, who was a regular here. MacGowan lived nearby, close to the Beau Nash Tavern on London Road, and the Sussex Arms became one of his local haunts during his time in the town.

MacGowan's connection to Tunbridge Wells is one of the more unlikely chapters in punk and folk-punk history. The genteel Kent spa town — famous for its Pantiles promenade and the phrase "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" — seems an improbable home for the man who wrote "Fairytale of New York" and spent decades as one of the most chaotic figures in British and Irish music. Yet MacGowan lived in the area and drank in its pubs, and the Sussex Arms was proud enough of the connection to mark it with a plaque.

The Sussex Arms is a functioning pub and welcomes visitors. It sits on a quiet mews off the main road in Tunbridge Wells, a short walk from the town centre and the railway station. The blue plaque is visible on the exterior of the building. For Pogues fans passing through Kent, it makes for a fitting stop — raise a glass where Shane did.