The Three Crowns, Upper Edmonton, N18

I have walked past here on match day for years without feeling any great urge to walk in through the front door. A quick squint through the cracked windows reveals a rather dark and dingy interior that make the place quite uninviting. Recently I decided to give it a go out of curiosity and whilst it is hardly my regular sort of place, I did actually find the pub less menacing than I expected. The interior is long and narrow with a low ceiling that makes the pub feel quite claustrophobic. The furnishings are quite a mixture from tatty sofas in the front pool area to chrome seats at the rear, all offset against a bare wooden floor and dark ceiling. The lighting is quite subdued and the pounding urban music can make it feel like a bit clubby. A few remnants remain from its original features – the etched windows proudly proclaim that this is a free house although don't expect anything more adventurous or appetising than Carling or keg John Smiths. I would have expected TV's to be dotted about but this was not the case, just the 1 basic TV from memory. The walls are plastered with drink promotion posters which I think always gives a pub a cheap feel to it. One big plus was the food: I didn't try any but the people on the table next to me were having a good tuck in and it looked and smelled delicious. Whilst I would hardly be drawn back again in a hurry, I certainly did not feel uncomfortable or threatened and it is far enough away from the crowds on match day to at least grab a pint without being herded about like cattle.