The Crown, Shirley, Croydon

This is a large Ember Inns pub on one of the main roads into Croydon. The pub is set up well for food and the barman informed me that they are undergoing a refurb that will give them a restaurant upgrade, so it's clear to see where the pub's priorities lie. To be fair, the food here was very good, with a fine menu and cheap prices. The interior is typical Ember Inn style, with pastel colours and floral print wallpaper giving it a gastro feel. The place was busy on a Friday night, although I had the impression that most people were there for a quick drink before heading into town and it did seem to have emptied out a lot by 9pm. There is a large garden at the rear and the pub operates a pay and display car park, which they refund once you make your first purchase at the bar. The ale selection was very good, with Harvey's Best (£2.35), London Pride (£2.55), Courage Best and Directors and Adnams Broadside all available at very good prices. I was served by a very friendly and chatty barman and the staff serving the table seemed very nice and helpful as well. A good pub to try if you want a cheap meal at somewhere other than a Wetherspoons and with good beer at those prices, I would be tempted to return more often, depending upon how their refurb works out.

The Crown official pages, including menu and beer details - www.emberinns.co.uk