When Wayne and Dawn Morris took over The Crown, it was a risk to leave behind 23 years of running a large managed house for a small pub in the picturesque village of Swallowfield. Three years on, the venue has gone from strength to strength and the cosy village pub now caters to locals and a host of visitors to the nearby Wellington Country Park, or those who take advantage of its convenient proximity to the M4.
Wayne runs the kitchen, serving up quality home-cooked food, while Dawn oversees the front of house, providing a warm welcome to this family-run free house. From the menu, the baked Camembert comes presented in a ring-shaped tear-and-share cranberry bread, and is the perfect starter to kick off a hearty meal. For a classic main course, try the homemade chunky cottage pie with cauliflower cheese. The gluten-free sticky toffee pudding is a satisfying yet light end to a meal and has earned its place as one of the most popular dishes on the menu. In the summer, the sunny beer garden is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon, and throughout the year The Crown hosts a range of charity events, barbecues and quiz nights. The cornerstone of The Crown’s offering is well-kept beer, wine and top-notch food; it’s this winning combination that keeps customers returning time and again.