The Crow Bar has a bit of a mixed history. It has served many purposes in its time from coffee bar,to cafe to restaurant, but we're concerned as to when it became a bar/pub.

We know in 1968 Thomas McGuckin applied to open a cider bar at 2 Ann street, but the application was refused on the grounds that the premises were unsuitable. The building (a cellar type property) was formality the Scoobidoo Coffee Bar.

Picture sent in by Mark Abbott of the Crow Bar who remembers it as a bikers and hippies hang out.

We know it became the Dickens Inn, Bar & Brasserie. which we think was the first instance of the building (cellar) having an alcohol licence.

The owners, Forward Inns, opened a second, much larger branch called the Cockle and Bacon in Montague Place and my have been the reason the Ann Street restaurant closed.

Additional: Steve Coombes has recently informed us that during the first Typhoid outbreak in Worthing, it was used as a temporary morgue.

Colin & Sarah Shaw have been running the Cheers II bar now for a couple of years (2009), surprisingly they have no plans for the bar but due to the limited space expansion is out of the question, however as Colin says, its a single bar, easy to manage, low overheads and a regular clientele which keeps it ticking over happily and they see no reason to change. Very popular for private parties up to 50.

It was mentioned that it may have been called the 'Tube' for a short period of time, this is unconfirmed.

 Time Line

 A little bit extra

1989  - Forwards Inns
???? - Crow Bar
???? - Rudi's Bar
2011 - (as Cheers)
2025 - Graig, Paul & Matt