Crown & Sceptre, SW2

Official site of Crown & Sceptre - www.instagram.com

Official site of Crown & Sceptre - www.instagram.com

I had to put my glass half full, smiley face in adversity to get this venue to a rating of 3. All hail to the oracle that is Tim Martin in abandoning this site presumably based on anything that is half decent drinking choices. No beer on hand pump. Plenty of tap choices (in fact more bland lager choices than you will surely see in almost any venue in Christendom). Full range of Camden choices but I was so depressed on walking in the door that I asked for a glass of red wine (almost didn’t care what the choice was) only to be told, a bit casino like, you bet all in on red to find that it came up black (substitute that here for white). Can you be pleased with a glass of white wine for £5.50 that would have even undercut Sir Tim? OK am on my way somewhere else.

Official site of Crown & Sceptre - crownandsceptre.co.uk

Official site of Crown & Sceptre - crownandsceptre.co.uk

Large landmark pub at the top of Brixton Hill, which until relatively recently, was a branch of the Wetherspoons chain, and retains a lot of their distinctive fixtures and fittings. The pub is carpeted throughout and comprises a large, mostly open-plan room which is only divided in any real sense by a couple of large, centrally positioned sections of partitioning wall. The bar runs along the rear of the room and has a distressed-effect dark wood counter front with a matching canopy and rather dull bar back. The same faux-scuffed panels can be found around much of the interior, with anaglypta uppers and seating is provided in great abundance, with high tables and chairs near the entrance and bar, banquettes over to the left in a pleasant, raised seating area, and basic tables and chairs through the centre and to the right. One of the partitioning walls has some beautiful etched glass panes in situ, perhaps from the pub’s pre-Wetherspoons days, and there’s a small, decorative fireplace on the right side, but aside from these features, there’s not much of a traditional pub feel to the place and it does still resemble your average South London ‘Spoons. Walls have been decorated with old paintings, a few contemporary images and at least one bright, vibrant piece of modern art, so a decent mix all in all, but no stylistic theme to speak of. Several TV screens were showing live sport – football in the centre of the room and rugby elsewhere – with the commentary for the latter audible to anyone sat in the right-hand side of the room. The TV here is hung above a nice old bookcase which also houses a collection of board games. The room runs back a short way to the right of the bar and this space, which benefits from some large windows on two sides, has been partially filled with a pool table. Not much of a ‘Spoons vibe at the bar sadly, with five handpulls mustering two turned clips, two unclipped pumps and a lone ale in the shape of Morland Old Speckled Hen. I forgot to note the price, but I don’t think it was particularly excessive and the clientele looked like the same middle-aged bunch of blokes I’d expect to see in a ‘Spoons on a typical mid-afternoon visit. The beer wasn’t exactly in great shape, but was definitely still drinkable, whilst the barmaid was friendlier than you get in your average ‘Spoons. Not too much to get excited about in this place, which appears to have made next to no changes since the new owners took over, making it feel like a typical ‘Spoons visit, minus the good beer. In a way, I quite enjoyed the pub and was happy sat here watching the rugby and generally passing time with all the codgers, but there are plenty of better pubs up the road in Brixton and I can’t see me making a return.