please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Opens at 6pm for some superb beer and wonderful food. Very grumpy landlord just like the good old days and just like back then, we were having a great old chat after a while. Highly recommended for watching the sunset over the River Great Ouse
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Tried to call in last Saturday at about 4.00pm but - despite a board outside saying "Hot Food Now Being Served" (or something to that effect) it was actually shut. Opening times always seem a bit vague here, but it's worth it if you can get in!
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Lovely pub with plenty of interesting knick-knacks. Good selection of beer. Landlord is forthright to say the least! How a pub should be.
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Not the greatest of rivers to look over but at least its a view. Popped in just as the heavens opened with plenty of thunder and lightning, so something to look at from the eating area which looks over the river. As to the pub it is off the beaten track. Please go by the Spooners at the top of the road by Saturday Sq and head here. Its a smashing place, dark and old with the feel of a museum with beer. Excellent selection of proper ale about, which I limited myself to a couple pints of Navigators. Blimey they were good. Food also excellent, none of your plastic reheated factory stuff here. The lady doing the food was cheerful and lovely, shame about the old man behind the bar, who would switch from great barman to rude sod in a few seconds. All in all this is a great pub.
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Trades pretty much on it's riverside location, which is pleasant enough but look tired (rather than characterful) on the inside and the ale was okay rather than good..
anonymous - 28 Jul 2013 19:17 |
This by far the only pub worth going in in the whole of West Norfolk, great beer, great food and even black people like me are welcome! I come from Tottenham in North London, and there is nothing like it here.....will go again soon......
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Great pub....I only drink lager so ...but the place has some good food,ideal for a quick sandwich in your dinner hour......which is quicker than going to the Wetherspoons next door, I will be going back one day....
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I visited the pub a few months ago and had a great meal there...I am not a beer drinker, but I like the décor and the ambience, 3 old chaps with dogs seemed to be having a great time one of them appeared to be Scottish like my late husband..Is a nice place for a lonely old lady like me to have a quiet glass of wine and rest..The landlord helped another old lady in with her wheelchair which was quite nice....and the local vicars seemed to be having a meal together.C of E I presume... I will be in again soon with my 2 sisters........nice place..
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yes......I am the famous X1 cowboy... I often trot down to the Crown and Mitre , I come from Norwich and my aged sister lives in Peterborough,and often trot down to the Crown and Mitre on a break on my bus ride...Always good food here and good beer,7 days a week I think... and its the nicest place in Kings Lynn just to sit down and have a sandwich and beer,not too far a walk from the bus station, I am 69 and spending my retirement exploring the county...I only drink real ale .quick pint and go that's me...or 2 pints ,or 3 pints.....
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Really good pub.Must be the oldest pub in Kings Lynn and the last one actually on the river bank.Has some great real ales ,good food,great atmosphere ,though more suitable for people interested in history,geography etc of the local area...apparently it was flooded in the 1953 floods but the landlord has restored it to a very high standard.Nice just to sit down and study the old relic and chat with the local charactors......then after your pint have a walk around the town to see the many other sights Kings Lynn has to offer....
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An excellent pub, Roger always has 6 beers on and he welcomes folk to have a taster,of one of the fine local ales from Norfolk and Yorkshire. Black people are especially welcome especially ones from London .The food is great too and Roger said he is expanding on this and welcomes coach parties as there is a large pay car park nearby.We are black ourselves and Roger made us very welcome even giving our dog a drink.Dogs are also very welcome and this pub should be entered in the all the good pub guides.Non Smokers are also welcome too with a smoking area at front and rear of this very old pub which contains many old relics.Roger warned us however that the other pubs in the town do not welcome black people or EU nationals....though I would dispute this...Roger said even Chinese people are welcome! At the back is a great greenhouse area where you can watch the famous West Lynn Ferry plying to and fro...All in all is a great pub ,excellent ales,excellent food ,great atmosphere and I am even thinking of booking my wedding there or at least a meal there.There are not many pubs which welcome black people but Roger made us very welcome...
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A really excellent pub serving well kept ale, and imaginatively decorated. We really liked the extension built on the sea defence wall with terrific views over the river ouse where you can watch the lynn ferry chug by.
We found Roger the landlord to be be fine; yes, he is opinionated but easy to talk to, which should be avoided if you take offence easily. In an age where sanitised, corporate service is commonplace, an individualistic landlord with personality stands!
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I visisted the Crown & Mirtre for a luchtime drink and was very impressed with the originality of the pub and the upstairs part has the most amazing view. My parents had a 50th golden wedding coming later that year & we thought that it would be an ideal venue. I approached the Landlord & Landlady to enquire about this. They were both very helpfull and offered to prepare the food for the event too. All the guests were very impressed (some mixed race were guests too!!) The food was second to none and the service was excellent, they both could not do enough for my parents day. I would definately visit this pub again as the ale drinking guests were pleased with the variety and quality of the real ale. The Landlord is very knowledgable about the towns history and offers this information. A perfect day.... THANKYOU
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Hard to be sure about this pub. The building and the interior were beautiful and/or quite fun. Beer quality was excellent. One one Monday mid-evening, I was the only customer for the hour that I was there - I wondered about the combative/racist behaviour attributed to the landlord by other recent reviewers and whether this had made what LOOKS like an excellent pub into a place which discriminating customers give a wide berth. I'd like to return but really want more reviews.
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Having read an interesting review of this pub in The Daily Telegraph ('Pint to Pint; Aug 11th 2012), my wife and I decided to visit it for lunch on the 28th of August. My wife went upstairs and I ordered a wine for her while I took a look at the selection of real ales. I said to the woman serving me that I didn't know any of the beers and so could she tell me which ones were less dark as I tend to like the 'blond' ales. She pointed to one and I politely asked if I could have a small taster before buying a pint; I explained that as I was driving, it was going to be my only pint and I didn't want to risk having a pint that was not to my taste. As many will know, this isn't an unusual request and I've never had a problem in the past ...until now !
She rather brusquely said 'No, we don't do that' and when I asked why was told that 'people then want to try all six beers !' I thought this was a bit inpertinent as it was suggesting that I would take advantage of them. I decided not to have a beer at all and went upstairs where I explained to my wife what had happened. Neither of us thought this was particularly friendly and we decided to have lunch elsewhere.
As we walked towards the door I passed the landlord standing by the bar and said to him 'you've missed out on two meals'. The next second, WW3 broke out - he erupted and immediately started swearing at me in the most coarse way. He shouted "F*** off to Weatherspoons if you want free beer" followed by "F*** off out my pub or I'll throw you out" and then came up to me and pushed me. I firmly believed he was looking to provoke me into a physical confrontation but kept my cool and went out the door. My wife stood her ground by the door to say how appalled she was with his language and attitude but he just continued to swear at her saying "F*** the Telegraph" when she tried to say why we had gone there. Neither of us have ever experienced anything like this in over 46 years of visiting pubs across the country.
Interestingly, on re-reading the Telegraph review, we noted the following sentences from Cristopher Middleton: "Roger Duggan favours a combative approach...", also "Of course, the cut-and-thrust can take a little getting used to; in response to my asking which glass contains the beer from the Humpty Dumpty Brewery, which from the Cambridge Brewery and which from the Acorn Brewery the reply was 'You weren't concentrating were you' ". Funnily enough, the 'Pint to Pint' review of this pub on the Telegraph's excellent East England Pub guide is not included but we still have the cutting so I can remind myself this really happened and it wasn't just a bad nightmare.
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We sought out this pub online via BITE. Looked very cute. We got there and it was quiet. Lovely decor inside with old artefacts around.
Landlord got talking and told us some history of the place and town.
After about 5 minutes he started talking about not having an 'ethnic' problem' in the town. I (Asian British) looked at my wife (Irish-Polish American) and wondered what he meant. Then he started on about not having 'coloured' folk ruining the town. My wife saw I was turning volcanic. We left very quickly afterwards and wondered if we had walked into a timewarp, a bygone age.
To add, King's Lynn has a mixed popualtion. Of course, a huge variety of tourists do visit also. Please visit the town. Do not visit the pub with the racist landlord.
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Only a mild and a weak bitter available on our visit. Mild was very good. Very expensive 5.75 for a mild & a coke.
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Closed from 8th to 27th Feb - Possibly because the fair is in town - pathetic, we've got enough closures without voluntary ones.
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Great fitba ale Pals Dickie Bear long hair quiet room
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Bit of a give away this, of the last 5 super dooper reviews 4 are one time wonders,`Every picture tells a story don`t it`.
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Really lovely home-cooked food!
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What a fantastic Pub! If you love real ales and proper pubs with genuine atmosphere then this is not to be missed. The landlord Roger keeps six superb real ales on tap at any one time and has restored a good deal of this historic pub with his own hands so is a mine of information.
There aren't many pubs around that a stranger can walk into and be assured of a warm welcome and great conversation - this however is just such a place!
When I joined CAMRA it was in the expectation of being directed to great pubs like this one. Imagine my surprise that it doesn't feature at all in the "Good Beer Guide" yet a totally generic Greede King pub down the road selling the same old four ales as every other Greede King pub gets their recommendation! Shame on them for showing so little objectivity. Roger the Landlord says that he has fallen out with the local CAMRA committee so isn't surprised at his omission. Nevertheless I find this petty in the extreme and I think that they should remember that they are there to serve their members and not their personal prejudices!
I would like to thank Roger for making myself and my wife very welcome this weekend and we will be straight back the next time that we are in Kings Lynn.
Jon and Lizzie
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Our first visit to Kings Lynn would not have been half as good if this pub was not there. It was warm, clean, friendly and had 6 or 7 great beers. Would like to have stayed longer.... It is full of real interesting items including a model train set that used to deliver beer along the bar..... would loved to have seen this running.
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the crown and mitre is now on Facebook............
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My first visit to the centre of Kings Lynn and, from what I could tell, the only pub worth visiting. The last 'water-side' pub left, very warm (a log-fuelled range is part of the back bar), low ceilings, great 'clutter', an excellent range of local (ish) cask ales and an engaging (albeit a touch morose -imagine Sid James without the laughs!) landlord who cares deeply about running the pub properly. Highly recommended.
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What a fantastic find! I admit i was encouraged by the landlord to post my comments here, but that doesn't in anyway affect my opinions. A great location, great beer, friendly service. This pub is a MUST if you are in Kings lynn
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Very good range of well-kept local real ales (six at time of visit) and a courteous landlord as well as friendly regulars at the bar.
The pub looks as though a deal of effort has been taken in turning it into a cosy spot. There is an excellent view of the river from the covered verandah, which also supports a thriving vine. Bar snacks at lunchtime, more extensive meals in the evening (not sampled).
Folk always tell me there are no decent pubs in Lynn. This place disproves that. I couldn't fault it. Pevsner described the old part of Lynn as 'perfect', and I think he would have rated the Crown & Mitre as 'establishment gave satisfaction'.
If you want silly nonsense (like fisticuffs and foolishness), you can probably find that elsewhere in Lynn, not here.
15 minutes' walk from the railway station, 90 minutes from Kings Cross. Worth a visit.
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I just wish I lived nearer, so I could access this pub!
One day soon, no doubt.
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At the time of writing the Crown & Mitre stands on the threshold of a No 1 slot in the BITE Top 40 and fully deserving it will be. Situated on the quay just a short stagger from Tuesday Market you may need to dodge the police vans and bodies outside the Globe Hotel before you get there but it is certainly worth the effort.
The front door leads into a small lobby containing a large anchor and dozens of beer pump clips which is a pretty good introduction on what to expect. The pub is simply a museum of nautical trinkets with every shelf, wall and ledge containing a selection of model boats, ropes, oars, tide tables, maps, charts, intruments, photos, anchors and even a cannon that threatens to wipe out the bar should anyone try to use it in anger. The corridor to the loos contatins an old lathe and yet more bits and bobs and even the footrail of the bar is made from an old ship�s chain. Mixed in with all the paraphernalia are pump clips by the hundred, clear evidence of the pub�s reputation as the No. 1 Ale choice in King�s Lynn (and probably for miles around). A separate room had a roaring fireplace and appeared to be more for dining. I was hoping to eat here but the veggie choice wasn�t to Mrs B�s taste so we gave it a miss. Outside is a partly glazed, decked verandah with picturesque views across the river where you can watch the wading birds picking at the crabs as the tide goes out. This was probably not a good place to be in 1953 according to the flood level marker situated high on a beam in the main bar.
Whilst you sit and contemplate on who does all the dusting, there are 6 hand pumps to work your way through. Actually there were only 5 available my visit; Tydd Steam Piston Bob, Keltek Golden Lance, Tom Woods Best, Littlestone Will Scarlet and Humpty Dumpty Little Sharpie with the 6th pump (Tom Wood Shepherds Delight) not ready. Service was top rate to the extent that our pints were even topped up despite the immediate measure looking perfectly acceptable. Unfortunately, Roger, the local legend of a landlord, was not in the best of health and whilst I could have happily sat there all night, his condition deteriorated to the point that he was beginning to resemble an extra from Night of the Living Dead and was forced to shut the pub doors at 9.30pm when we were still 3 ales short! Sadly, especially for a Saturday night, there were only a dozen or so punters in at the time which suggests that most of the town�s drinkers either have poor taste or have been subjected to Roger�s no nonsense approach and all been banned.
I understand that the intention is to attach a micro brewery to the pub and there is a sign outside proclaiming the Anchor Brewery but when it becomes operational I am not sure (and Roger wasn�t in any condition to ask!). When and if it becomes a reality, a great pub will be even better. Kings Lynn certainly isn�t the best place for pubs but it does have some interesting spots for a day trip and the Crown & Mitre should be central to any visit. Having been forced out early I will certainly need to return to complete my unfinished business!
NB � No doubt the 0/10 spoiler brigade will take hold of the place once it comes to prominance so for the record the current rating is a well deserved 8.9 from 24 ratings.
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The pub is like a ship museum with a wonderful view over the river Great Ouse. But even better is the food which they are serving and the best thing is I can pre order by e-mail and lunch is ready when I am come into the pub. That is a real bonus during my short lunch brake. and the price is very good too. You have to try it [email protected]
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I went on Thursday, 30th July. We were cheerfully welcomed by Geoff. The pub is full of nautical memorabilia and the new conservatory looks out over the Great Ouse, and looks wonderful at night. I tried 2 of the 6 real ales and persuaded my friend to try one too, well worth it. We, 3 ladies of about 50 ish, all had a fun evening, friendly banter with Geoff & Donnie, hope to return� Friend of Trinker
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This pub should be in the good beer guide,has six real ales on offer....and i visited on many occasions in the last 6 months....Roger the landlord often giving a very good History lesson of Kings Lynn ,and he speaks to all of the customers which is rarely found these days in a pub........very good....
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I have recently visited The Crown & Mitre for the second time, and find the pub to be exceptional. I will confess to not being a local but travel to Lynn to visit relatives. I have experienced other pubs in the town, but nothing can compare to the wonderful atmosphere of a truly real pub. It is a living testament to Lynn`s historical connection to all things nautical and much more. The host, the ale, the food and the ambiance I commend to one and all. Keep up the outstanding service Roger.
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Heard about the pub on this website - it did not disapoint. Me and two mates enjoyed a memorable hour or so sat at the bar discussing all manner of things with Roger the landlord. Very nice well kept Tom Woods beers were sampled. Lovely setting next to the river, fascinating collection of naval memorabilia, friendly locals and an eccentric host make this a sure fire winner. It just goes to show that sometimes it pays to ignire the GBG!
Keep up the good work Roger.
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Had an odd experience here when I first discovered it a couple of years ago. There was a beer festival (great) in the gallery overlooking the river, but very few customers. The landlord disappeared after drawing my first pint and was nowhere to be found when I wanted a refill. A cheerful regular in the bar advised me to help myself (since it in was spigotted kegs racked up on a shelf) and leave a couple of quid on the counter ... which I did. I was just about to leave when the landlord reappeared, so I gave him the cash directly and said what I'd done. He started to erupt like a volcano until I politely pointed out that I was giving him money he wouldn't otherwise have, and could have left without paying at all. He caled down at this point and I have beenn back. Yes, it's a great pbb!
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Great pub. Excellent range of well kept ales. The nautical memorabelia is most interesting as is the bar top railway. Roger the landlord really is mine jovial host. Not to be missed,
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We were just in KL for a weekend and came across this gem. The nautical paraphernalia all over the pub made it look special, and the beer was up to scratch. There were 5 real ales, all well kept, and 2 absolutely first-class. The landlord, Roger, was welcoming, and a delight to talk to. Opinionated, true, but the opinions were based on knowledge and substance. Not only was the landlord welcoming, but his customers were as well, which is not normally the case when you are just passing through. The fact that we had two hours of enjoyable conversation on two nights says a lot for the atmosphere that Roger has created. Good luck with the micro-brewery.
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Brewery now being built by Roger. Real ale for many years being brewed in King's Lynn hopefully by December 2008. This will make The Crown & Mitre with all it's other advantages, the place to enjoy real ale & good food.
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visited this pub on the 17.09.08 it really has the wow factor when you walk thru the door with all the memorabilia, the landlord was a real character. Good beer and decent pub food and having your drink delivered by express train that runs on top of the bar, what more could you ask for, certainly beats all those franchised pubs.
Thanks Tim & Tina
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Caz and I had just visited Weatherspoons just up the road and happened upon this place by accident.(thank goodness) The landlord Roger is a real character and kept us entertained all night. There was an excellent selection of real ales and with the assistance of the local railroad in delivering the beer we had a great night. If you are in KL you must visit this place! Excellent night Roger. Thanks. Trev and Caz.
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we visited this pub 29/8/08-30/8/08, what a fantastic pub! The atmosphere and decor was great, and the landlord was truely an amazing character!! We will definately visit again.Our visits to this pub helped to make our holiday memorable.Hello Rodger.
janet and Mark.
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My boyfriend and I found the crown and mitre by happy accident as we were exploring old Lynn on saturday and it was excellent. The ale was good, the landlord very knowledgeable and you felt safe in the knowledge that no A***hole behaviour would be tolerated!
It was a shame we had already eaten as the food smelt divine!
A lovely place and we look forward to visiting it again in a couple of weeks.
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Good ale, very traditional, lots of ship history of King's Lynn. Amazing sunsets from the Vinery over the Great River Ouse. Good fresh local produced meat etc for lunch & evening meals. Don't ask about the train on the bar unless you are a train spotter. All in all worth a visit.
jazz2 - 31 Jul 2008 23:37 |
Nice, traditional pub with some decent guest beers and full of nautical memorabilia. (PS - Don't ask the landlord about the Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' model locomotive on the bar unless you've got a good half-hour to spare...)
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Visited Kings Lynn May 14 07. An outstanding pub, excellent real ales, great traditional atmosphere.
My wife said that the glass of house wine was the finest she had tasted.
Try the House Speciality Croque Monsier - this is the best toasted sandwich you will ever taste.
Sit up in the vinery (complete with vine)and look out onto the River Great Ouse.
Everthing adds up to a pub deserving full marks
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Definately the widest selection of real ales, but more suited to my Grampa than me.
5 real ales on offer on my visit, all kept in top nick.
Prices higher than Lloyds but the quality is far superior.
I would be amazed if this pub does not feature in Camra guide
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I have currently come into possession of a very heavy, large (23.4 X 39.4 inches)pub sign that appears to be very old, made of English Oak. I am trying to find out any information I can on its history. The sign reads "Kings Lynn" across the top and "Crown & Mitre" across the bottom with pictures of wheat one side and the words "King's lynn S&P"
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For the "Real Ale" connoisseur, this is the best pub in Kings Lynn (in my opinion). A lovely ye olde worlde pub with oak beams and wooden floors which backs onto the river. You know its a decent real ale pub when you see the vast collection of beer mats at the entrance and inside. 6 ales were in the offering, Guzzler & Shipwrecked to name but two. Definately well worth a visit (as i shall do next time Hitchin town FC come to play again)
You wont find any youngsters in here as there all up the road in Lloyds watching Sky sports!
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Re windows in the conservatory it is unwise to open them yourself as they open upwards and must be latched up firmly. Roger has a device to do this. It means in summer the conservatory is effectively semi - glazed which is wonderful in good weather.
Re the glasses, Roger does ask you to bring the glasses down from the conservatory when you order, if he knows you are going up there. I usually return glasses whichever pub I'm in as IMHO it is only common courtesy, and is often appreciated by hard pressed staff.
Ex pot boy
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Very nice pub,very clever conversion upstairs,lots of decent Real Ale. Unfortunately we nearly got lynched 4 opening a window upstairs though,very scary landlord!!still a 9/10 though!!
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Enjoyed the Crown & Mitre whilst staying in Kings lynn for the night. The 6 beers on offer were excellent and the landlord was interesting..........
Am looking forward to my next trip to K Lynn to visit this pub.
Although next time, after talking to the Landlord, I will be careful not to bring a rope to end it all (only joking) And dont move the chairs or if you do lift them - Oh and if you want a smoke go through to the pool room! And if you want to drink upstairs then mind you bring the glasses back!
The descriptions in the other comments is very accurate except that there is no food available currently. The landlady has left him.
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Ah, The Crown and Mitre! I doubt I will ever find a more entertaining pub than this! The walls are decked out in maritime memorabilia and various beermats; it doesn't look like any other pub in King's Lynn, with beams dating back hundreds of years and a mahogany floor. The food that I have sampled there so far is excellent and the soup is great value for money. All the food is homecooked and uses local ingredients. The selection of beers on tap mark it out uniquely as a real ale pub. Over the years they have had Woodfordes, Iceni Breweries, Adnams and many more. I have been introduced to more new beers at this freehouse than any other pub. I've never seen any trouble here as opposed to the trouble seen in other establisments; the pub is ruled with an iron rod. Due to the lack of trouble, it became the only pub in town to get 24 hour drinking The secret behind all of this though is the landlord, Roger, who has owned the pub since the mid 90's. It is possible to speak/argue with him on virtually any subject under the sun. Its doubtful that you will be able to change his mind on anything as he is steadfast and opinionated, but its the only pub in town where you actually get to know who the landlord is. An excellent traditional pub.
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A REAL pub where it is possible for complete strangers to converse. Beer is v good, often but not always E Anglian brews.
The new conservatory fronting onto the river is now open. It has a separate bar which is nearing completion. The windows hinge up so that in summer it is open to the outside. In winter the space will be heated. A great place to drink and watch the river go by.
The inside of the pub has memorabilia relating to the town's maritime past and Roger the land lord is pretty knowledgeable about the town's history.
The bar, restaurant and conservatory are non-smoking, but there is smoking allowed in the games room where there is a pool table.
Roger does not tolerate bad behaviour so the athmosphere is much better than in many hostelries.
We discovered it by accident and have been going there ever since.
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Roger is still providing a service valued by his regulars, still the only pub in town which has brilliant selection of fine ales and beers and were you actually know who is running the pub.
No LOAD music or annoying Sky Sports to put up with, and best of all, the only pub in the town centre which does not allow dunking yobbish behaviour to carry on.
It�s a shame that Kings Lynn Council don�t have a look at this pub, and consider it an example to all the other pubs in town. As I have witnessed a small thriving market town once popular for light entertainment become a dunking Fighting Brawl of a town, were many people no longer come in for entertainment due to the Continued Trouble over spilling onto the streets.
anonymous - 13 Apr 2005 12:26 |
Further refurbishment has been carried out in a tasteful manner. well worth a visit.
Gerard - 26 Sep 2004 18:30 |
This is the Only Pub in Kings Lynn with a genuine atmosphere, Roger looks after his customers and really brings the place to life with a warm welcome, good conversation. A real traditional local pub! Real ale kept in superb condition, Roger will refuse to sell any ale that does not meet his own very high standards. A highly recomended drinking establishment for the descent people of kings lynn.
Harold - 27 Nov 2003 22:10 |
The C & M can be found just off Lynn's Tuesday Market Place, in fact just past the rather loud and (for some reason popular) Lloyds bar which still masquerades under the title of the Globe Hotel. If you can stand the cynical conversation of the Crown & Mitre's Landlord and just enjoy the beer you will be ok. If not, retire to the pool room for some peace ! Worth seeking out and the beer garden of sorts is unusual.
Gerard - 21 Aug 2003 00:54 |
