Life seemed pretty sweet for a brief moment of a rainy afternoon when I thought, fleetingly, that a rare double header was on the cards.

Tuck into some dinner and a couple of jars in the Star and Garter, I thought, before navigating across one of London’s busier roads for a swift drink and some ‘toe-tapping music’ as advertised on the sign outside The Little Crown.

Granted, neither pub exactly embodied an oasis of drinking delight but any port in a storm/light drizzle.

Only, the Star and Garter appeared pretty shut up to me and there were some odd herbal smells lingering on that side of the road (exact origin unknown) so I had to hot-foot it over to The Little Crown earlier than planned.

It also meant settling for a bag of crisps in favour of a proper feed as the crown didn’t do food.

This pub was a little bit of a throwback – and I don’t mean that particularly either as a  negative or a positive. It just was.

It was fairly basic inside – a bar and some seating.

A few Gaelic items tossed around the walls – a Gaelic football shirt here, a team photo or a flag there – reminded you this was an Irish bar, as did the authentically Irish lady behind the bar, although the bar was fairly short on craic.

Presumably the Crown does do ‘toe-tapping’ music though I could hardly expect a weekday afternoon to be the place for it.

The fairly basic amenities combined with a distinctive pub smell you don’t get much nowadays and that retro pub staple, the middle aged man. For that was almost exclusively the clientele.

Some dressed like The Specials in pork pie hats and black jackets, nattering about music. Others were slightly more dishevelled.

When I visited, the racing on the TVs was clearly the draw for most of the punters. On toothless Scottish chap got especially animated during one race.

I couldn’t understand a single slurred word (except the frequent f***s) but he did help by doing exciting horse riding actions too.

The Little Crown, New Cross Road, Deptford

How it rated:

Decor ** Pretty rudimentary

Atmosphere ** Not my usual crowd

Staff *** Helpful

Drink ** A slim range

Price *** Not bad