Suspended brewery, beer firm
6 Vulcan Business Centre, Vulcan Way, New Addington, Croydon CR0 9UG (Croydon)
thecronx.com
First sold beer: 6 August 2012
Brewing suspended: by August 2024
Drinks wholesaler Mark Russell and city worker-turned-brewer Simon Dale founded the Cronx as the first standalone brewery in Croydon since Page and Overton closed in 1954, operating from a 20 hl plant in an industrial estate in New Addington.
The name jokingly blended the name of an equally outlying New York City borough with Croydon’s postcode.
The production site, while open for pre-arranged collection, was unsuitable for a regular taproom. In October 2016, the brewery opened an off-site taproom as one of inaugural businesses at the Boxpark next door to East Croydon station, but a combination of circumstances led to them giving up the lease on this in September 2021. A new taproom finally opened in central Croydon (71 High Street CR0 1QE) in May 2023.
Fermentation capacity increased several times and Simon moved on, but Mark remained as managing director. As a long-time Crystal Palace fan, in 2019 he secured a contract to supply the bars at the football club’s Selhurst Park stadium, creating a specially brewed beer.
Following financial and management difficulties, brewing ceased by August 2024, with voluntary liquidators appointed in November. Mark acquired the brand and recipes and intends to restart the brewery at another location in Croydon during 2025. Some Cronx beer is being cuckoo brewed in the meantime, primarily to supply Selhurst Park.
The central Croydon taproom, which had a separate ownership arrangement, closed ‘temporarily’ in September 2024 and hasn’t reopened. When and if it does, it may well be under new management and no longer linked to Cronx.
Beers are mainly in keg, with some available in cask, can, bottle, minikeg and bag-in-box,.
Updated 27 January 2025.
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