POP into one of Brighton’s oldest pubs and chances are a character called Gabriel will try to catch your attention, wielding a strange puzzle box.

Wine connoisseur Gabriel is the guide to Handmade Mysteries’ new escape game Lady Chastity’s Reserve, which is taking over an upstairs rooms at The Black Lion, in Black Lion Street.

The game, which is open to teams of between two and six people, gives participants an hour to unlock the secrets of the room through a series of puzzles and challenges in the hope of winning the titular Lady Chastity’s aphrodisiac wine which Gabriel seeks.

Creator Ben Tucker first came across the escape game concept in Thailand last year.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. “It was like going to something like a Laserquest with a series of different doors. We were taken through a series of different rooms where we had to solve problems to progress to the next room.

“It was almost like losing yourself. It was all right, but I thought it could be a lot better.”

Part of Tucker’s solution was to house the game in a pub rather than the nondescript room used in Thailand. As well as The Black Lion he also runs games in The Four Thieves in Battersea and the People’s Park Tavern in Hackney.

“The Black Lion is an amazing space,” he says. “We couldn’t believe it when we first saw it with the beautiful high ceilings and rafters.

“Many of these escape games have little waiting areas, like going to a doctor’s waiting room. Having it in a pub is a real benefit. Anyone coming out can have a drink and some food before they go up and have a game.

“And afterwards there’s a space to sit and talk about it. We have chosen premium pubs for all our games, with really good food.

“The Black Lion has a new menu and a new chef which gives people a lot of choice.”

Plus there’s the advantage of having Gabriel on hand, who can encourage drinkers to play at quiet times with ingenious puzzle games. Otherwise the room can be booked in advance

At present about half the competitors complete the game in the allotted time and win the wine, with a resident ghost on hand to help if those taking part get stuck in the middle of the immersive experience.

“I wanted to get rid of any reminders of the modern world,” says Tucker. “I didn’t want people to see even a bit of plastic.

“When you’re in the game it is like an escape from the glowing silver screen and the pressures of life.

“It’s an escapism rather than an escape game.

“I call the experience like playing The Crystal Maze on crystal meth.”

Games start at £15.50 per person. For more information visit www.handmademysteries.com