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Detail Pages
Crown & Sceptre, Fitzrovia, W1
W1
W1W 6DY
Pub Type
Castle (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Approaching this pub in the early evening rather than at the end of a local circuit (see my previous review) enabled me to see it in a different light. The glass in the entrance, the fantastic pillars and the tremendous ceiling were all well appreciated, and even the beer was ok. A choice of Landlord or Pride, and I always go for the local beers whenever possible. My half of Pride was unspectacular but a pretty decent drink (NBSS 3), but £6.50/pint is going to take some getting used to. I wouldn't rule this one out for a return if in the area and in the right mood.
On 8th January 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Crown & Sceptre
This street corner pub has a fine apex door glazed entrance,a dark wood floor ,supporting columns and a high ceiling in a typical Victorian style.Bench seating to the sides,three copper topped brittania tables under the main window and a charming rear alcove,wood panelled, looking like a good spot for diners.High tables nearer the bar well placed for those just drinking,although all tables are numbered and food is a feature here,my halloumi fries were good (£7 ,it is tourist central) while mains weighed in around £13.
The bar had pump clips for Doom Bar and London Pride with "still conditioning" signs so hobsons choice was TT Landlord in good nick NBSS 3.5,served southern style otherwise it would have been NBSS 4.There were 4 interesting craft keg options on one font column from respected brewers.
Muzak was calm and classy ,I enjoyed my pint and bar snack in a tidy environment.Not bad at all and I would return for the same.
On 25th September 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Rebuilt in 1897, I can't be bothered to really try and amplify on what has already been written.
There's modern contemporary furniture, TVs showing sport, loud dance music, pot plants, columns with Corinthian capitals, tea lights in holders on tables and blokes with big beards and tattoos.
The standoffish barmaid loomed over pumps dispensing Doom and Landlord at an insulting £2.95 the half; it was a bit lifeless.
This isn't a great pub so I doubt I'll come again.
On 10th October 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Coming here after the relative comfort of the Fitzroy Tavern and the Yorkshire Grey, I was struck by the off-puttingly stark interior of this, my last pub of a getting-to-know-the-area crawl of Fitzrovia. First impression was of discomfort: visually, aurally and (potentially) posterially. I persevered as far as the point where I could see what beers were available: they turned out to be Sharps Doom Bar and Atlantic, with Marstons 61 Deep (I think it was) "coming soon". I beat a hasty retreat.
On 15th January 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Basic one room corner pub with the bar to the rear. Three hand pumps - two weal ale and one reversed. Nothing special.
On 1st August 2018
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Unbranded M&B (Castle) corner pub with an attractive facade. The inside has been remodelled to form a reverse question mark around the 'U'-shaped bar. Not much character left in the side lounge area but still a few interesting features such as the columns, tiling and moulded ceiling around the bar. Usually has quite a young crowd in. Number of handpumps increased to five since my previous visit, with four on this time and the regular Doom Bar and Pride supplemented by beers from Purity and Windsor & Eton.
On 10th May 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Unwittingly popped back in here again last week and it wasn’t until I checked the next day realised I had done this one before eight long years ago. Since that visit, the place appears to have been lightened-up and knocked through more (bar relocation?) and is now a bit of a drinking canteen, with a large main front bar with a smaller more intimate rear area. The interesting moulded plasterwork ceiling remains and there is now an exposed brick back bar. High tables in the main bar room, quite long with unusual inlaid drawers (glued shut) underneath. High chairs to match but of a very high quality and possibly the only time I've sat like this and felt as comfy as sitting in a regular height chair. Semi-amusing 'Top Bun' burger menu advertised on a large blackboard. Large eye-catching photo painting of two young fillies in what looks like a country manor lounge (resolutely unexplained) which also appears to have been in situ in 2006, as I can see it peeking out from one of the old photos on this website. A change from 2006, as we’ve seen across much of central London, is an upswing in the amount of ale available. Five pumps with four ales, Cameron's, lkley Mary Jane, Pride and Doom Bar. My Camerons was in pretty good form but my enjoyment of it was tempered by the ludicrous expense, £4.20pp if rounded-up from the half. A good keg selection, including Camden Hells, also in situ (didn’t see Budvar Dark this time though). Given the barn-like nature of the place and the greedy mark-up on the ale, I can’t say I’d be making planned a return here despite the positives.
September 2006
A good place to try some continental fayre (with Budvar Dark on tap, mmmmm...) at reasonable prices for the area. Only one handpump (Tim Taylor's Landlord) though, but it tasted fine. Friendly barman as well. An imposing gin-palace style exterior hides the fright within - this place has clearly had some mad makeover when perhaps just enhancing some of the original features would have been enough. The inside does have some nice touches (the Deco doorway for instance), though I was less sure about the stuffed goats head that reminded me of Alanis Morrissette. I suspect that if the foreign beer was less prominent, I'd give this place a rather lower score. Rated 7.
On 28th May 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about Crown & Sceptre
A stripped out and modernised traditional boozer with lots of varied seating for the affluent pretty young things of Fitzrovia. We called in for a quick drink before proceeding to the Bonnie Gull for seafood. Ordered a couple of pints of Mary Jane and a couple of glasses of fiz and went to stand out on the pavement to get away from the girls at the bar who were talking dolphin at dangerous volumes. The pub has few soft furnishings and being pretty full, the volume was well up on the decibel levels. The beer was OK, if slightly cloudy, but was a better option than the mainstream UBU or Doombar. Sorry, too many rolled up jeans with stripey socks and loafers for me, won't be going back.
On 27th May 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Occupying a prominent street corner position on the fringes of Fitzrovia is The Crown and Sceptre, externally quite an attractive and imposing looking pub.
A number of doors, including one on the angle of the two streets that retains an impressive high glass surround, tells us that this was obviously a multi-roomed pub in its heyday. An impressive, high, black painted moulded ceiling and some Corinthian columns give us a feel for what was evidently a grand Victorian pub in days long gone, although, disappointingly, all the windows are now plain glass.
There's that usual mish mash of sofas, chairs and tables and different areas that one always seems to find nowadays in pubs that have been opened out and given a makeover, although the overall effect here is not as displeasing as is often the case. The bar servery is centrally situated and quite small for what is actually quite a large and spacious pub. There's some seats outside on both streets for sunny weather.
The pub seems to appeal to what I suppose are described nowadays as urban professionals. I gather that media types often pack the place out and there's a bit of a trendy, pretentious air about the place.
On my recent visit, beers on were London Pride, St Austell Tribute and UBU Purity. Notably, the price list shows London Pride as £ 1.50p for a half and £ 3.30p for a pint. Given previous comments, I am pleased - and somewhat surprised - to be able to report that the UBU Purity (£ 3.30p) was in good form. I didn't detect any problems with the staff either, although the pub website's description of them as being "the friendliest staff for miles around" is probably overstating the case somewhat and I'm never impressed when I see a cup on the bar counter specifically for tips.
This isn't really my type of place at all, but I did at least have a better experience than expected.
On 7th October 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Crown & Sceptre
Bit of a barn of a corner pub which I believe is in the M&B stable and certainly seems to have been given one of their DFS Furniture makeovers. As mentioned below, was presumably at some time a multi roomed pub, but is now knocked through, with a bar area at the front and a larger area mainly to seating for dining at the back. I can relate to the LLB analogy below and M&B probably spent a bucket of money on the modern style makeover trying to make it look like they spent £500.
It seemed to be mainly geared to the food menu , which I didn’t try, but there were three hand pumps on the bar which included Fullers Pride, St Austell tribute and one other I cannot remember.
The pub had a bit of a pretentious feel to it and this was certainly perpetuated by the bar staff, who begrudgingly attempted to provide a full pint after some initial outrageously short pulling of a pint.
Not really my sort of place, and if you are just after a pint, there are plenty of better offerings in close proximity IMHO. But there were plenty of people in on this early Saturday evening so it obviously does appeal to those who like their pubs to more resemble DFS show rooms.
On 11th July 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]