Brixton: lost pubs: THE CROWN (Mucky Duck)
Padfield Road and Coldharbour Lane, Loughborough Junction, London SE5



Orignally known as The Crown, the pub was renamed the 'Mucky Duck' (in the 1990s?). The pub closed around 2002, and although it never reopened, a hanging neon sign bearing just a question mark suggested that a new bar was going to open up in its place.

A thread on urban75 discussed the pub's recent history and future prospects:

the B wrote: The ? Bar: Was for sale by auction a while back but I don't know what happened since - anyone?

Was briefly squatted - hence the Harry Roberts thing in the windows...

The owner had found a buyer through that auction but the aforementioned squatters spoiled his plans somewhat. The owner was due to make a healthy profit from sale (six figure sum) but offered a poultry sum to squatters to leave in order to get the sale completed 'in time'.



Owner needed squatters out and to 'fix up' building in time. No way he had the building fixed up before squatters went in - they sorted out the leccy and water - the gas system was completely shot and needed to be totally replaced according to gaspeople.

Owner probably going to have to fix up building properly and then resell it...

Previous tenants to squatters left in a hurry, bit of a mystery, there was rotting food on table, clothes left out to dry (with money in pockets) and was a bit Mary Celeste...
[8th June 2004]



prunus wrote: A bit of poking around on the internet has revealed that The Mucky Duck (formerly The Crown apparently) changed hands on the 17th Dec last year for £360,000.

A planning application has been received on the 4th of this month (June) for: "Conversion of existing Public House to 6 self contained flats with a commercial unit at ground floor and associated alterations." Paxton Design Partnership Ltd are the agents for this application.

Is a 'commercial unit' shops/offices or does it include pub/bar?

Off for a lie down now to recover from having to use Lambeth's planning website.
[9th June 2004]





(All pics: December 2005)



In this March 2007 photo, all the anti war graffiti has been removed.

UPDATES 2014:
The old Crown pub on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton set to be a Co-op supermarket
The Crown/Mucky Duck pub on Coldharbour Lane now up for sale by Foxtons
The Crown (Mucky Duck), 201 Coldharbour Lane SW9 awaits its fate
The lost pubs of Coldharbour Lane, Brixton and Loughborough Junction



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