The scariest moment for Jamie Prudom in turning The Duke of Wellington into
a ‘gastropub’ was when an 80-year-old punter, who had been frequenting the old
boozer for 30 years, returned to his former haunt.
“I thought he was going to be really angry with me,” Jamie recalls. “But he looked
around, nodded and said, ‘It needed a good clean’.”

Last summer the Duke, just off Gloucester Place, was pillar box red, stuffed with
Wellington memorabilia and covered in ancient carpets.“We ripped up all the carpets,
took the junk down and basically decorated for two months solid,” says Jamie.
“But it was really important that it still felt like a pub, so we kept the old bar and
didn’t change anything structurally. It’s just an updated version of a pub.”
Reclaimed chairs, tables fashioned from old school desks (chewing gum removed),
gorgeous Sputnik chandeliers and an eclectic collection of prints and photos now
fill the space. The upstairs dining room is another new addition.

Formerly a function room it has been transformed into a cool, bright eating space
with dark oak floorboards, a beautiful cast iron fireplace and crisp white tablecloths.
Punters can eat here or choose from the smaller bar menu downstairs.
“Having really good food is central to the formula,” says Jamie. “It’s not a try-hard
menu, we’re just doing classic English dishes that are cooked really well.
“Every other venue seems to call itself a gastropub these days, but we’re clear we
don’t want to turn the Duke into a restaurant with a bar. We just want to do pub
food with quality.”
Classics such as steak and chips (£16.50) and rice pudding (£4.50) can be found
alongside daily specials invented by hugely enthusiastic head chef Fred Smith.
The 27-year-old was formerly sous chef at Galvin Bistro De Luxe, before a stint at
The Brown Dog. Real ales on tap also change frequently – the venue uses
independent brewers – and the wine list both up and downstairs remains at pub
prices. The result is a fresh take on the classic English pub, which remains
true to its roots..