Phil Sampson finds himself spoiled for choice in the heart of Plymouth
THE THREE CROWNS PLYMOUTH
Two friends of ours keep their boat in Plymouth. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but given they live in deepest Hertfordshire we’ve often wondered why they opt for a five-hour marathon drive in preference to a relatively short hop to the Solent. We decided to find out for ourselves on a trip out west to Devon’s most lauded nautical destination. With more than a dozen marinas in and around Plymouth, visitors have numerous berthing options. We headed to Sutton Harbour where our chums keep their Merry Fisher 895 – and suddenly, all became clear; what a beautiful location this is.
To be specific, we’re talking about the Barbican area of Plymouth, the city’s old port which has been redeveloped into a lively, upbeat and full-on waterfront development while retaining all its historic charm in a labyrinth of cobbled streets and preserved Elizabethan warehouses. Among the attractions here are no fewer than 32 restaurants, bars and cafés surrounding Sutton Harbour – no wonder our friends like the place! The harbour’s eateries range from small independents to some of Britain’s larger chains, so expect to find delightful venues such as Daisy’s Tea Room rubbing shoulders with the likes of Miller & Carter. We decided to go for something in between, so chose the Three Crowns, which enjoys an enviable position on the sunny side of the harbour and has an enormous waterfront terrace.
The sun was shining during our visit, but the West Country breeze was blowing – so much so, that we were forced to move from our table on the exposed quayside to a more sheltered spot in the lee of the pub. But sitting outdoors is what this pub is all about; we weren’t taken with its sports barstyle interior but the spectacular setting makes up for it.
The Three Crowns’ fare is very much in the traditional pub-grub mould. In truth, with more than 20 mains, platters and burger options, not to mention daily specials, a r
