The operator has taken on the former Royal Albert on Westow Hill, with plans to reopen the site in time for St Patrick’s Day 2027.
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Co-founder Johnny McElhinney told The Morning Advertiser (MA) the group had bought the former Royal Albert from Stonegate for £1.5m and expected to invest a further £450,000 in the refurbishment.
The Crystal Palace pub will be the third Mc & Sons site, joining Borough and Vauxhall, and will take the wider family-run group to six venues.
The group also operates Molly Mc’s in Southwark, which was named Best New Site at the 2026 Publican Awards for its Irish pub, live music and Thai street food offer.
Beer garden
McElhinney said Crystal Palace had long been on the group’s radar, with the size of the pub’s beer garden a key factor in the decision.
He said: “We always wanted a pub in Crystal Palace. We went up and had a look at it and just thought it would make a great Mc & Sons. The beer garden basically sold it for us.”
The group said the site would follow the same model as its existing Mc & Sons pubs in Borough and Vauxhall, with Guinness, Thai food, live music and family heritage forming the core of the offer.
McElhinney said: “The team, the look, the ambience and the offer is going to be the exact same as the other pubs.”
The pub will host live music on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday sessions also being considered.
The group is also aiming to open part of the beer garden offer before Christmas, including a dedicated spice bag area, while work continues on the main pub.
New brand plans
McElhinney said the group was also developing a new spice bag brand, inspired by the Thai food offer within Mc & Sons and Irish pub culture.
The concept is expected to operate from smaller quick-service sites, with a limited menu focused around spice bags, chips, curry sauce and Guinness, subject to licensing.
McElhinney said the group would look for sites around the size of a “regular kebab shop” for the new brand.
He added that early local response to the Crystal Palace announcement had been strong, with the group’s social media post attracting thousands of views and messages from residents welcoming the plan.