The Crown, Cricklewood, NW2

This bar is housed in a magnificent red brick building, set back from the main road with its own short driveway. It looks really impressive, and although as a hotel it might be OK, as a pub it doesn't really live up to the promise of the superb exterior. Furnishings are marble topped low tables, combined with armchairs and sofas. There were no normal tables and chairs, but on the plus side no tall tables/tall stools either. There was what seemed to be a dining area in a large room behind the main bar area and servery. Newspapers in a rack on the wall is a nice touch, but it's what you might expect as this is really a hotel lounge, although open to the public of course. The beer is nothing to write home about either, with Doom Bar and London Pride (£1.85 a half) on, and with a third pump unused. I didn't see any food available in the bar, but I guess you could eat in the Asian restaurant which is part of the hotel. This is not the sort of place to which I would return.

This is a soulless pub with the atmosphere of a hotel bar, which it really is. The staff were pleasant, but in a professional business like way rather than a relaxing pub manner. There is a quiet lounge bar at the rear that had Landlord on three pumps and some jazz type music played at a very low level. The front bar has a single Landlord pump and a selection of standard draught. There are also a couple plasma screens that I would imagine showing rolling news rather than any sport. I doubt that I'll return to this pub.