The Crown Inn, Oxted

Official site of The Crown Inn - crowninnoldoxted.com

Official site of The Crown Inn - crowninnoldoxted.com

Good Beer Guide 2018 Entry - so chosen over the other three pubs in the high street (although George looks closed down). Four real ales on - London Pride chosen and only in average condition. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2L0xafs

One of a number of attractive historic pubs along the High Street in Old Oxted (this one is 17th Century), this place has a particularly unusual layout, with upper and lower bars that seem to rarely open simultaneously. On our visit, the lower bar was closed, but the steps to the right of the pub led up to a door for the upper bar – a pleasant old-fashioned room with dark wood beams, attractive panelling and some nicely upholstered banquettes and chairs running along the front wall. The bar runs opposite and to one side there is a small snug that seemed to be functioning as a reluctant crèche on our Sunday afternoon visit. You can follow the path out to a very nice beer garden with plenty of bench seating, including some under a shelter, plus a children’s play area at the far end. Having turned up at lunchtime on Fathers Day after an enjoyable walk through the fields from Woldingham, we had little hope of getting any food, but were surprised to find the place only half full and with plenty of tables available. I enjoyed a very nice Sunday roast, served by a couple of friendly and helpful waitresses. There were four ales on the bar, including a couple of local brews, one of which was from the Oxted Brewery. I sampled two of these ales and both were in excellent condition – in fact, I was rather surprised to find that this pub wasn’t in the 2017 Good Beer Guide and would expect to see it appear in the 2018 edition. I really enjoyed this place, which we picked almost at random upon arriving into the village. I thought the beer, food and service was top-notch and the garden was a great spot to relax on a hot summer’s day. If the other pubs in Oxted are anywhere near as good as this place, then the locals are a very lucky bunch indeed.