Established in 1843, The Basketmakers Arms is a traditional pub and cultural landmark in Brighton’s famous Laines, with a selection of exceptional beers, comforting freshly made food and probably the friendliest, most welcoming atmosphere in Sussex.
Wrapped in awards throughout the years, The Basketmakers Arms sits on the throne of ‘Best Pub in Brighton’, and has done so for the last two consecutive years, serving over 5,000 drinks a week to make it happen.
With a newly appointed head chef and brand new menu on the way, pub management decided a full redesign would best convey the fresh approach being taken, rather than just repopulating the existing menus.
They wanted it to represent The Basketmakers in the context of its century-and-half of service in Brighton, whilst also keeping it thematically free, open, and inviting to passing tourists and regular locals alike. It was also important we keep the overall print design traditional, avoiding too many typical modern design trappings.
We sat outside the pub and, over a three-day period, drew the whole of the exterior in pencil before converting the sketches into a digital illustration via Adobe Illustrator. This also included a rendition of their pub crest that had never featured on the menu before.
Once the digital design had been completed, the final illustration was applied to the outside of a full width A4 folded template, with the relaunched menu featured within. We knew the illustration would be instantly recognisable as the distinctive Basketmakers Arms, as well as possess the unique artistic interpretation to be strong enough as a standalone design. We also applied our designs to the wine list using the same format.