There was this South African bloke, a Kiwi girl and a Brit, at least the Saffer told me she was, until she piped up to say she is in fact Albanian.

No, it’s not the start of an elaborate joke, or even the line-up for a United Nations conference, just an ordinary Friday evening in the pub.

Yes, I can confirm The Crown Inn at Eythorne has the most diverse international staff list I’ve ever encountered behind a bar.

It was a dark, miserably wet evening outside and we were more than happy to be sucked into the warm, cheery light that emanated from the window and inside the heavy wooden door.

Once enveloped by the lightly smoky, orange atmosphere of the bar we were immediately welcomed by both the eclectic staff and much more local locals.

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We checked that food was being served before taking a seat at a tall table near the roaring log burner and settled in properly to peruse the menu in more detail.

But, first things first, there was a reasonably varied drinks selection and I chose a beer I initially sampled on a visit to Brighton.

The 4% Source Session pale ale from Laine Pub Company is very drinkable and is a bit like a hoppy lager. It happens to be vegan (though that wasn’t the reason for my selection, as this wasn’t one of my New Year resolutions) but Mrs SD did point out I was ‘back on the sauce’ already.

We’d found a very pleasant little nook at the back of the bar but it’s a deceptively large pub and with several groups sat around with menus in hand we decided to get our order into the kitchen early.

We weren’t completely Hank Marvin so just selected a few smaller items to share – a portion of whitebait, a cheesy garlic bread and a scampi. I have to say when it arrived, in a timely fashion, we were not disappointed. This was excellent food, piping hot and Mrs SD declared the chips the best she’s had in a long time.

There was music playing in the background, and I recognised several very good tunes, but it wasn’t played at a level that dominated or spoilt the overall atmosphere with groups of friends enjoying the start of the weekend.

I did notice a few TV screens dotted about and there was a dartboard hidden away in a dark corner but, generally, this is a pub which concentrates on the food and drink with most folks enjoying the craic.

There is exposed brickwork, stripped wooden floorboards and some great old sash windows which just add to the traditional feel of an old-fashioned local village pub – the roaring fire is the icing on the cake.

Having finished off a fantastic meal and switched up to a pint of Purity’s Mad Goose I decided to take a look upstairs and discovered a trio of lads enjoying a game of pool. I hadn’t picked up a cue for a while but couldn’t resist the challenge and, as it was winner stays on, played a couple of frames.

After a swift trip to the gents, which were clean and well presented, if a little bit of a squeeze with a few of you in there at the same time, I returned to the bar to finish my visit with a pint of Old Speckled Hen.

The Crown runs a lunch club from noon to 2pm between Wednesday and Saturday with two courses for just £12 and hosts live music on a regular basis.

This is a place which oozes tradition (so anyone needing wi-fi is going to be disappointed), but from the second I saw the old-school bar and was welcomed by the barman I knew this was going to be a good pub.

Most of the furniture is in good condition, with a sensible amount of tartan on display, and I’ve made a note to return when there’s a band on.

How fantastic to start the year with a proper pub offering decent food, with a variety of drinks, that is also proud to host live music.

Here’s to a great 2024, please continue to support your local pub.

THE CROWN INN, THE STREET, EYTHORNE, DOVER CT15 4BG

Decor: An old-fashioned bar and wooden floors, it’s not surprising this pub is popular with dog walkers. The log burner also creates a warm, homely feel and I loved the old sash windows. ****

Drink: A decent choice of drinks was available and according to the regulars they are changed regularly. The Source and Mad Goose were both decent pints and Mrs SD, who chose a red labelled ‘Most Wanted’, said that was good too. ****

Food: We didn’t go for full-on meals but a portion of whitebait, cheesy garlic bread and scampi, served with chips, was more than enough for two. It arrived quickly, was piping hot and very tasty. ****

Price: The Source pale ale was £5.90, a Mad Goose and Pravha were both £5.30 a pint and a large glass of red was £7.70. Scampi was £12, cheesy garlic bread £4.50 and whitebait £6. ***

Staff: They seemed a really good team and were doing a good job keeping everyone happy. Forget that Spitting Image song, the South African guy serving us was a top bloke. ****

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