Six Sussex pubs have been named best in the South-East.

The six - in Brighton, Arundel, Hastings, Cooksbridge and Findon - now go on to the national finals of the Best Pub Awards 2006 next month.

Hastings Pubwatch was named best scheme of its kind in the South-East in the same awards.

The group of 78 licensees linked by radio and CCTV works with the police to curb rowdy behaviour and has barred 98 people in two years.

Booming business at the Swan Hotel in High Street, Arundel, won managers Lester Croft and Catherine Nash the award for best newcomers.

Three years ago The Havelock in Havelock Road, Hastings, was plagued by loutish behaviour. Now it has been named the South-East's best tenanted or leased pub.

The Rainbow Inn in Resting Oak Hill, Cooksbridge, is the region's gastro pub of the year.

Judges decided the best food in the South-East was available at the Gun Inn in Findon Village, the best bar was at Hotel du Vin in Ship Street, Brighton, and the best bar team worked at Koba in Western Road, Brighton.

Since The Swan came under new management 18 months ago, staffing has been reviewed and the menu improved.

There have been so many customer-led changes there has not yet been an opportunity to implement any plans the management had for the business when they arrived.

Mr Croft said: "We've always wanted to run a pub and we've had a good 18 months.

"We really just focused on the customers.

"It lacked a bit of professional service so we focus on everyone who comes in and we make sure everyone leaves happy."

The Havelock manager Stephen Goodfellow barred 68 people in the first week of being at the town centre pub.

He has built it up into one of the most popular traditional pubs in Hastings and it is now reputed for its food, quizzes and safe environment.

Luke Wilson was manager of London's Chelsea Ram when it became the first pub to make it into the Michelin Guide food bible.

It is not surprising the Rainbow Inn, where he chefs and manages, has been named best gastro pub in the region.

He said: "There's something for everyone here.

"You can get a simple bar snack or you can have a three-course meal with Champagne."

Nick Georgiou, landlord at the Gun Inn which was commended for its food, said the pub had come a long way since being earmarked for demolition seven years ago to make way for a residential development.

Over the last two years there has been a £120,000 kitchen extension and four full-time chefs have been brought in to produce high-quality food using locally-sourced ingredients.

He said: "It's a village pub doing really good modern and traditional food."

Hotel du Vin's bar was proclaimed best thanks to a 500-strong wine list, 55 cocktails, 35 beers, 600 spirits and knowledgeable staff.

It was the teamwork behind the bar at Koba that secured it the title of best bar team.

Manager Dre Hucko said: "It's excellent.

"Awards like this are what make working in this industry worthwhile.

"To win this is quite an accolade."

The awards are sponsored by trade paper The Morning Advertiser.

Winners of the national competition will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on February 2.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006