On your right at 11 Priory Road you will see the Park Tavern. Its existence postdates that of 1805 as there is no record of a pub at that location then.

For some years Mrs Gilmore was licensee here and was a licensed victualler in the area into her 80s. She died at the age of 91 in 1936.  In 1887 Mrs Pratt successfully applied for renewal of the licence, her husband Henry Pratt having some two weeks before been convicted and fined for selling drink during prohibited hours on a Sunday. However the bench cautioned Mrs Pratt against any repetition of the offence for which they were fined at the last sessions day.

In 1921 a new licensee Thomas George Purchase was given permission to change its name to The Ritz Hotel and to effect alterations to the premises to improve supervision; clearly to take the premises upmarket.

The Ritz was the centre for various community and sporting organisations hosting the AGM of the Priory Park Cricket Club and billiard competitions. In 1922 it was the venue for a two and a half meeting of a Sussex County Football Association Commission investigating ‘incidents’ concerning various small clubs in the district. One concerned Summersdale v. Fishbourne which led to the referee abandoning the game following the dismissal of a Summersdale player for a foul, the dangerous play adopted by the Summersdale players – who got ‘ratty’ after Fishbourne had scored – and the disgraceful behaviour of the spectators.

To give a sense of the harshness of punishments meted out not that long ago – in 1933 three ivory billiard balls were stolen and the accused was sentenced to one month’s hard labour by the Chichester City Bench.

The pub reverted to its current name in 1964; the freehold is held by Fuller Smith and Turner plc.