Our next Toads Night
Tuesday 3 November 2026
7–9pm
BR3WERY Kelsey · 1 Kelsey Park Road, Beckenham BR3 6LH
Arrive at 7pm, or just before, to get settled.
£5 per person includes
- Entry to the evening’s games.
- All the equipment and an introduction to the game.
The winner takes home a jug of beer.
We’re planning singles, so you won’t need to organise a team. The format may change, and we’ll explain how the games will work before we start.
Booking opens soon
Places aren’t on sale yet. Join the list and we’ll email you as soon as you can book.
Keep me postedMake a Tuesday of it
We meet on the first Tuesday of every month, from 7–9pm.
What is Toads?
Toads, also known as Toad in the Hole, is a traditional Sussex pub game with a strong following in Lewes. You throw brass discs — the “toads” — towards a lead-topped table, aiming for the hole in the middle.
A disc through the hole scores two points. One that stays on the lead scores one. The aim is to work your way down from 31 to exactly zero.
It sounds straightforward. Getting a disc to stay put is where things get interesting.
How to play
You don’t need to learn this before you come. We’ll explain it at the table, but here’s a guide to the game.
1. Take your turn
Everyone throws four discs a turn, from the very first turn. Stand behind the marked throwing line and throw them one at a time. Players take turns. Leave the discs where they land until the turn has been scored.
2. Count the points
| Points | Where a disc finishes |
|---|---|
| 2 | Through the hole |
| 1 | Resting on the lead surface |
| 0 | On the floor |
| 0 | Touches any wood (backboard, sides or frame), even if it then lands on the lead or drops through the hole |
A disc that touches any wood is “dead”: it cannot score later in that turn. Count the final positions of the scoring discs, rather than adding up each throw as it lands. A normal four-disc turn can score up to eight points.
3. Work down from 31
Start on 31 and subtract each turn’s points. Reach exactly zero to win the leg, one complete game.
4. Fewer discs near the end
Once you’re under four points, you only get one disc per point you have left. Check your score at the start of your turn:
| Points remaining | 4 or more | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum discs for that turn | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Reach exactly zero part-way through a turn and you’ve won: stop there, and don’t throw the discs you have left. With two points left, for example, one disc through the hole finishes the game. With one point left, you need one to stay on the lead.
5. Don’t go bust
If your turn’s final score is more than you need, you’ve gone bust. Nothing is deducted, and you start your next turn on the same number as before. For example, with one point left, a disc through the hole scores two and puts you bust.
Gone over with discs still in hand? You can use them to knock a scoring disc off and get back to exactly what you need.
Can you knock another disc into the hole?
Yes. During your turn, a later throw can nudge an earlier scoring disc into the hole, or knock it off the table. Even a dead disc can move a live one, although the dead disc itself still scores nothing. That’s why the final position matters.
Rules and further reading: Lewes & District Toad in the Hole League rules · Game of Toads rules · Masters Traditional Games history.
Meet Alex and Sam
We’re Alex and Sam, the pair behind Over Two Cans, our beer podcast and YouTube channel.
We discovered Toads at Beak Brewery in Lewes and wanted a table of our own. Noel, a Brighton Toads player, made our custom table, and we took it with us on visits to breweries around the UK. We’d sit down with the brewery owners for an interview, then finish with a game of Toads.
Now we’re bringing that same mix of beer, conversation and friendly competition to Beckenham. Bromley Toads Society is a chance to get more people round the table and give a brilliant pub game a regular local night.
Come and say hello. We’ll get you throwing.
Find us at BR3WERY Kelsey
1 Kelsey Park Road
Beckenham BR3 6LH
You’ll find us at BR3WERY’s Kelsey Park Road bar, just off Beckenham High Street.
Our night runs 7–9pm. Arrive at 7pm or a little before; Alex and Sam will be there to welcome you and explain the game.
Before your first visit
- Do I need to have played before?
- No. Beginners are welcome, and we’ll explain the scoring and show you how to get started.
- Can I come on my own?
- Absolutely. We’re planning singles, so you don’t need to bring an opponent or a team.
- Do I need to bring anything?
- Just yourself. The table and brass discs are provided.
- What does the ticket include?
- £5 covers your place in the games, with all the equipment and an introduction to how to play. There’s a takeaway jug of beer for the winner.
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