History

The Old Crown is situated in the picturesque village of Messing, just off the A12 near Tiptree, we are a short distance from Colchester and Chelmsford.

In 2013 local farmer Malcolm Campbell and his wife Penny took over the pub. They refurbished it to a high standard and returned it to the focal point of the village, to the joy of the local community.

Penny is a talented chef with a wealth of experience spanning over 40 years. She has run restaurants and ran her own catering business, before coming ‘home’ to the pub that she worked in as a teenager. Her kitchen team, including head chef John, share her passion for bistro style home cooked food and are committed to freshly preparing their frequently changing menu that continues to please and surprise.

Malcolm or ‘Mac’ was born and bred in the village and has always been a familiar face in the pub throughout its history, committed to sampling the draught beer whilst socialising with the customers.

Our friendly front of house manager James is always on hand to make sure your dining and drinking experience is top notch and now runs regular events at the pub including beer festivals and music evenings.

Out and About

There are some lovely footpaths surrounding Messing. If you fancy a gentle stroll in the woods or up to the lakes why not stop off for a refreshing pint or chilled glass of wine and a bite to eat from one of our menus.

Local Produce

Where possible the pub strives to use local seasonal produce in support of local businesses. We offer Adnams Southwold beer along with their Copperhouse gin. More of their products can be found here.

We would love to feature in the Good Food Guide again. They require recommendations from our customers, so if you have enjoyed your visit to us please provide feedback here: thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/feedback

Highly Commended

Consequently since its re-opening The Old Crown won the award for Community Pub of the Year in the Essex Life Fine Food & Drink Award competition for two years running in 2013 and 2014.

In 2015 they were awarded Highly Commended. Penny says:

“We were all so pleased to be nominated for this award for the third year in a row. The time has flown by and has been so much fun, so it’s fantastic to know that our customers have enjoyed it just as much as we have. We can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store. We believe that this is a true community pub and our customers have been involved in making the pub what it is today.”

Trip Advisor

In 2015 and 2016 The Old Crown were also awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence and Bravo Badges! Thank you to everyone’s feedback over the years.

 

We love what we do…

… and we want to make sure that we deliver our very best to you…