Who are we?  

We are local residents of Barnsbury, Islington who want to save the Crown in Cloudesley Road, Barnsbury, Islington. We want to ensure that any potential developer would retain a pub on the site.

Why do we want to save the Crown?

The Crown is a friendly local corner-pub for oldsters, youngsters & professionals winding down after work. Trading for over a hundred years, it is a local landmark and meeting place, with a lovely glazed facade, bar, restaurant & small beer garden. 

Like most hospitality venues, the Crown is slowly getting back to normal after the pandemic.

Currently laid out as a gastro-pub with landlord’s flats above, it is also a venue for a range of public & private parties & a growing number of community-friendly activities: gamer meetups, bridge-club, sailing-club.

What’s Up?

The freehold of the Crown Pub is up for sale with Fleurets commercial land-agents. At £1.5 million, it may be attractive to a rapacious developer who (given the chance) could quickly gut the building and rip out the pub fittings. The current leaseholder (Fullers) faces a rent review in 2024 and can break the lease in 2027. We are afraid that there could be a buy-out of the lease as part of the sale agreement. 

Friends of the Crown

A newly formed association has sprung up to save the Crown. To be known as the “Friends of the Crown” 

What can we do? 

 We are starting by raising awareness of any potential threat to the Crown. We may start with an appeal to the Cloudesley Trust itself to retain and develop the freehold.

We would ask that they postpone the sale of the Crown while we make a solid case to the Trust and to Fullers for retention of this little gem as a local pub

Alternatively, should the sale occur we will put in place an application to the council to recognize the Crown as an ‘Asset of Community Value’

What can you do?

If you are interested in supporting or hearing about the progress of the Save the Crown campaign then:

Please sign the petition!

Also if we can save the Crown what kind of pub would we like it to be?

We have set up a short survey to get your views via Survey Monkey.

Copy this link into your browser if you would like to help imagine the future Crown https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QHHCRV3

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