Sussex house raffle, a month for lists

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News: On the agenda

A 12-mile stretch of road in West Sussex has been included in a top 10 list of the most dangerous roads in the UK.

The A285 between Petworth and Chichester in West Sussex has been included on the list by JMW. Several tight bends on the A285 have caused a phalanx issues for drivers.

JMW said: "This particular road is home to some very long, fast straights and several sharp bends. Plus, the road is prone to terrible visibility. "This is not a road to be driven on lightly. It features sudden elevation and several residential areas along the way, making it very unpredictable and dangerous.”  Full list 

With some astronomical taxi prices to airports these days, there is some respite in corners of Sussex. Buses operating between Horsham and Gatwick Airport are set to run a new 24-hour service. The Metrobus 200 route will operate 24 hours a day from the airport from Feb 24.

• A film about an inspirational Brighton woman who became the first to swim the English Channel is due to start showing in cinemas on International Women’s Day. Brightonandhovenews

Sussex in colour 

A “spell-binding” image of the Milky Way has been revealed as the winner of the annual South Downs National Park astrophotography competition.

The top photo in the Starry Skyscapes category was a night-time image of Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters in East Sussex, entitled Galactic Bay. It was captured by Giles Embleton-Smith, from Eastbourne.

Food & Drink - a month for lists

Four Sussex restaurants have made the UK's Top 100 Restaurants for 2024. In the annual list from SquareMeal, Furna, The Little Fish Market and The Set in Brighton, as well as The Pass at South Lodge in Horsham, below, were the county's top representatives.

The Pass was the highest-ranked in the top 100, placing ninth. The full top 100 list can be found on the SquareMeal website.

• Inside the Sussex hotel restaurant run by the latest MasterChef: The Professionals winner | Telegraph

Meanwhile, Ben Wilkinson at The Pass, Gravetye Manor in East Grinstead and Interlude in Lower Beeding have been included on Michelin Guide’s list of one-star restaurants.

It’s a long way from Keswick to Horsham but, in making the move, the eponymous chef has brought life back to The Pass at South Lodge, one of the finest country house hotels in this part of the world.

In another list, Poppyseed Bakery in Eastbourne has been included by publication British Baker in their Bakers’ Dozen 2024. The business was launched by Lee and Kirsty Smith in 2003 and has shops in Eastbourne and Bexhill.

On the market, hotels, places

An East Sussex couple are raffling their £1.5 million, five-bedroom house in Battle, below. £5 a ticket

Bedford House is a stunning Grade II Regency property (six bedrooms), once owned by Sir Terence Rattigan, below. On at £3.5m

The Great Barn in East Lavant, on sale with Fine and Country for £1.5 million

Nine-bedroom home with a swimming pool and cinema room is up for sale. Withdean Road, Brighton, on sale at £5m

A six bedroom detached house for sale in Bells Yew Green. Guide price with Hamptons £2.9m

On your doorstep

From the i newspaper -- The Dorset Arms Withyham. An ale house since 1735, this historic pub is also close to the original Pooh Sticks Bridge and the inspiration for 100 Acre Wood and still packs a ton of country under its shining beams. A children's menu is available. Family room from £130 a night, sawdays.co.uk/thedorsetarms

A Telegraph tour of the English high street: Lewes, East Sussex – scarcely spoilt, much preserved

What some readers’ said in response: 

“Lewes, like Totnes, is pretty, but like Totnes, to be avoided like the plague because of the people.”

“Lewes has the air of a town where you might find a Whicker Man parked in a small barn down one of the twittens. It’s a lovely, anarchic town, unbelievably hilly and full of very strange people.”

What's on

Sunday: Countryfile 6pm, BBC1

To mark 100 years since A.A. Milne's beloved creation first appeared in print, Countryfile heads to Ashdown Forest to learn about the ancient woodland and Pooh. Matt meets Pooh fanatic Neil Reed to discover more about Milne's life, while Charlotte helps to count deer populations in the forest using drones. sawdays.co.uk/thedorsetarms

Comedy: Miles Jupp: On I Bang, Brighton Dome, Feb 25 | Bill Bailey, Brighton Centre, Feb 21 

Football: Brighton v Everton, Feb 24 3pm | Lewes v Chatham Town, Feb 17, 3pm

Music: Rufus Wainwright, De La Warr Pavilion, Feb 18