Old Crown, The

For those whose love of decent food sits easily with the desire for an honest pint or two, The Old Crown is your sort of place. The pub has one or two other claims to fame as well, including owning its own brewery through a co-operative of the locals. In 2001 the wife of the then landlord passed away, as a result of which the future of the pub became threatened. The locals formed a second co-operative to buy and run the pub, thus making the Old Crown probably the first co-operatively owned pub in Britain.

As their publicity says, the local inhabitants can now sleep easily at nights knowing that a pint of their favourite awaits them in familiar and well-loved premises.

Like the great majority of pub-owners the new co-operative quickly discovered that there is money to be made in providing food for customers. So now it is possible to take your pick from a choice of about ten curries, and just to make sure that the locals do not lose sight of their native cuisine there are dishes with lamb shank, Somerset chicken, and inevitably the famed Cumberland sausages, to name but a few, as their main item.

The range of beers is a major attraction, bringing in an appreciative clientele from far and wide, as well as keeping the locals happy. Names like Blencathra bitter, Helvellyn Gold, Catbells pale ale and old Carrock strong ale (a lethal 5.8% ABV) pay homage to local spots and high places, on some of which drifts of snow often linger into early summer. However, the queen of them all, Doris's 90th Birthday Ale, named in honour of a long-gone but much respected landlady, appeared to be much enjoyed by HRH Prince Charles when he honoured the pub with a visit in February 2004.

The Old Crown is a celebration of some of the things that are best in "this sceptred isle".