ReviewBuilt in 1898/99 by local entrepreneur Frank Crocker, no expense was spared on this pub and hotel which, until 1987 was known as the Crown Hotel. The pub's current name comes from a largely discredited story which suggests that Crocker built the hotel believing it would be located outside the soon to be built Marylebone station, only to find the new terminus was to be constructed at its present site around half a mile away. In fact, Marylebone was already being built in its current location when work began on the pub and Crocker probably chose the site based on its location between the new station and Lords cricket ground. In recent times, the pub has endured a decade long period of closure, before a local Lebanese restaurant chain opened the place up again after a sensitive refurbishment.
Sadly for the casual visitor, most of this wonderful old building is off limits to all but those wanting to eat from the pricey menu, but the right hand room still functions as a public bar. This room, which was once divided into five separate compartments, gives enough of the sense of splendour, with numerous high quality features. The corner entrance takes you through a stained glass door with an etched glass 'Saloon Bar' pane above, as you emerge into an ornate room with modern floorboards and an angular, wood panelled servery to the rear. The bar back has some intricate wood carving, a built-in 'Crown Hotel' clock and a mirrored upper section. The room is quite light thanks to large windows on two sides, each with a three tier design - stained glass lower panes, a modern etched mid-section and a decoratively framed upper tier. Seating runs around the perimeter in the form of plush banquettes and comfy chairs, with some formed into a booth in the front bay window. One small oval table fills some of the empty space in the centre of the room and all of the tables seemed to be very high quality walnut pieces. An amazing gold frieze runs around the room, just below the ceiling, depicting cherubs playing various instruments and dancing. Above this is a gold patterned ceiling from which several elaborate chandeliers hang. There is a server's lectern to one side of the room and I was greeted on arrival and advised that I could enjoy a drink in this room, which sadly meant I couldn't explore the rest of the building during my lunchtime visit. The next room, accessed through a spectacular dark wood archway, is one of two formal dining areas. It is known as the Marble Room because of the liberal use of marble in the room's design, including a remarkable marble fireplace which acts as the room's centrepiece. The bar counter is also partly constructed from marble and as with the other rooms, the ceiling is one of the decorative highlights. The other dining room is the former billiards room, which apparently used to have two tables and a viewing platform which could accommodate up to thirty spectators. Should you prefer a roadside setting to such opulence, there is a strip of pavement seating, partly hidden behind some shrubs and sheltered by large umbrellas.
Sadly, there is no ale available, with not so much as a single hand pump on the bar - even the keg taps have been sited at the far end of the bar, facing away from the rest of the room. Draught options are Guinness, Peroni, Aspall Cider and Pilsner Urquell, so I decided to try a half of the latter. Having waited for them to change the barrel, the barman proceeded to charge me a whopping £3.00 for my half, so I was secretly chuffed to get back to my table and find that he'd accidentally filled a two-thirds of a pint glass by mistake. The service was all very formal, of the sort you'd expect in a top restaurant or hotel, so not really conducive to enjoying a casual chat with the bar staff.
This is undoubtedly one of the capital's most remarkable pubs and anyone interested in the lengths the Victorians were prepared to go to in order to create a top range pub would do well to pay this place a visit. To see the Marble Room and the second dining area, they recommend mid-week visits between 12:00 - 17:00, so I lucked out by turning up on a Saturday. However, if historic pub interiors or high end Lebanese cuisine aren't your thing, I would suggest giving this one a miss - it's now essentially nothing more than a restaurant and the poor drinks selection and insane prices make it feel like drinkers are viewed as a necessary irritant. It's a shame, but I'd rather that than lose this marvellous building entirely.
