The Crown, Penzance

Official site of the Crown Inn - www.thecrownpenzance.co.uk

Official site of the Crown Inn - www.thecrownpenzance.co.uk

A funny little corner local (I thought corner locals were meant to be large?!?) - dead near the main shopping street but feels like a good mile away outside. The interior seems very spartan, looks like it's had a make-over from a nicotine-stained old boozer a couple of years back. The arrangements of furniture, as mentioned elsewhere, feels haphazard and rather cramped. Everyone can see you business as they're often no more than a couple of feet away from you and your beer. The beer itself is good - three ales on (a Skinners, Otter and Keltik Magik on my visit) which were certainly in decent nick - no complaints there. As also mentioned by RogerB, the bar layout isn't the best, it's hard to see what's on if busy. Whilst I (for 'I' read Mrs Quinno) appreciate the coffee machine, perhaps its best stored elsewhere? So to sum up, it's a strange little place. I certainly didn't feel too comfy in there and wouldn't fancy a session. The beer's good, the landlord seemed a decent lad and the place is clean but overall it just didn't click with me. Perhaps it needs time to bed in. I'll give it a 7 because at least the beer range is imaginative and good quality which would be just enough to draw me back in again.

This small back street local seems to have more of an upmarket feel to it and certainly won't appeal to allcomers. The interior is not much bigger than the average living room with 4 rather cramped tables. The décor is plain and simple with little focus although the large mirror on the far wall does at least make it appear a bit more spacious than it really is. There is a second smaller bar to the rear which for some reason was empty despite the rest of the pub being pretty packed. The bar is quite badly laid out with a coffee machine in the most prominent position whilst the ale pumps were tucked away at one side making it hard to see the clips through the throngs congregated at the bar. The ales are very good and reasonably priced; Keltak Magic, Heligan Honey and Otter and that is reason eough to pay a visit. The music veered from obscure reggae fusion to difficult jazz and was certainly not the appropriate accompaniment if you are nursing a sore head. There was an eclectic mix of people and it is hard to see what attracts some of them to the place. It is the sort of pub you have to vist to make up your own mind – reviews won't help you much!