Simply Seafood is housed within the building – Swan Lake House, with its own very interesting history (although not so ancient) built around 1850 –1870 by a very enterprising French man who came with his vines to start a vinery in this part of Sussex, he was very successful and there is still a superb grapevine in the conservatory, to the back of the restaurant the building in its hay day had sweeping lawns and two large lakes, used for fishing & boating, Victorian and Edwardian folk would enjoy tea on the lawns and finish the afternoon with dancing in the large room now used for private dining, the original sprung floor is still there, the sweeping lawns and lakes have disappeared under the developers bulldozers, but you can still enjoy dining in the south facing courtyard garden surrounded by many exotic plants and trees, Banana, Olive, Fig, Grapes etc. The property also has its own resident ghost supposed to be the old Fly Keeper, he used to go out to Eastbourne & Polegate and pick up the passengers off the train in this FlyTrap (a very light horse & cart) he has been seen on a few occasions disappearing through the wall, apparently his cottage was here first. Claude and Christine have spent the last 23 years making the property habitable after over 70 years of neglect. You can also enjoy Fish & Chips next door in their take away which started 16 years ago, the fish is skinned and b***d in-house and the best quality potatoes are cut thick to make homely chunky chips which are clearly very popular.
