Inspired by The New London Spy (1966)
The Grenadier, Wilton Row.
‘ This serves very decent food, far better than the average pub meal ( though naturally priced accordingly) .It does have a great deal of physical charm, in a particularly nice setting. Its connection is more to do with the Duke of Ellington than with the Grenadier Guards ( though a Colour Sergeant is detailed to pose for the inn sign whenever it needs repainting, and the barmen wear mess jackets). It used, in fact, to be a mess for the Duke’s officers , and Duke himself is alleged to have played cards there.’
Today, the pub is owned by Sir Jim Radcliffe, the chemical engineer who became boss of INEOS and is now the major shareholder of Manchester United. It was Radcliffe’s favourite pub and it was here that he and his friends planned from scratch the Grenadier car that bears the name of the pub, which he bought from Greene King in 2022. Madonna and William, Prince of Wales have been recent customers. The pub is said to be haunted by a subaltern nicknamed Cedric who was beaten to death for cheating at cards in 1818.
The London Spy was correct about the price and quality of the food served here. Dishes from the main menu are still expensive, like all pub meals served in Mayfair, but the food is very appealing. Starters range from £10 to £16.25, while the ‘famous Beef Wellington comes in at a bargain £39.95.
The Star Tavern, Belgrave Mews West.
‘…This belongs to no clique that can actually be pigeon-holed, but you get the impression that if the master-minds behind the Great Train Robbery ever used a pub, it would be one remarkably like the Star. There is the atmosphere of discreet opulence about the place, and inevitably a Jaguar or two outside…’
Well, rather bizarrely, the speculation of 1966 regarding criminal activity, is repeated as fact by those marketing the pub today. According to this:
‘ Bruce Reynolds, who coordinated the robbery, regularly drove his Aston Martin from his Streatham home to meet (Buster) Edwards and one or two other members of the gang in The Star to go over details during the run up to the robbery…’
Arty pubs
Queen’s Elm, Fulham Road. Chelsea.
‘One of the most famous ‘ arty’ pubs in Chelsea is the Queen’s Elm, where the importance of the customer can be gathered by the way he is greeted by the landlord, who will rush forward if he is a famous novelist or actor, but who will also—let it be said—cash a cheque for the odd poet ( Patrick Kavanagh, the Irish poet, used the pub when in London).’
Alas, the Queen’s Elm no longer exists, having closed its doors in 1990s.It is now yet another clothes shop. The publican referred to in the New London Spy was the Irishman Sean Treacy, who was one of those rare creatures, a chronicler of his own pub. To one commentator, his memoir, A Smell of Broken Glass was a ‘ masterpiece’. To another writer the pub was a refuge for those barred from the Chelsea Arts Club. The film director, Joseph Losey, liked the place and used it as a location for ‘The Servant’ (1963), which starred Dirk Bogarde.
Finch’s ( aka The King’s Arms), Fulham Road.
‘ Finch’s is slightly less pretentious than the Queen’s Elm, and is excellently staffed …It is patronised by actual painters and sculptors, Frank Bowling and Elizabeth Frink, for instance. There is also a hard core of regular locals, being the kind of place you could return to after ten years in Tangier and be sure of running into people you used to know in Finch’s in the old days.’
Today, there is a reference in the online entry to ‘ thespian hell-raisers ‘ ( whatever that means) in the sixties when this pub was known as Finch’s, which is perhaps the reason why the owners decided to drop this name and return to the King’s Head. It is now a pretty standard Victorian pub with the usual period fittings. There are no references to Liz Frink and Frank Bowling, whoever he was.
The York Minster, Dean Street, Soho.
The most art pub in the West End is, without doubt, the York Minster, in Dean Street, equally well known as the French pub. This is the most enduring arty pub in London, having kept a faithful clientele of actors, journalists, writers and painters over the past twenty or thirty years. It uses to serve an excellent, unpretentious French lunch upstairs, but the restaurant is temporarily closed. This again, is the kind of pub you could return to after years abroad and meet you old friends who would greet you as if they’d seen you only last week.
The amazing thing about the popularity of the French, is its badness as a pub qua pub. There are no pint glasses, for instance, and our unsuspecting customer asking for a pint is simply served with a half, without out explanation, and you can only get Watney’s Red Barrel in the way of beer. On the other hand, the guv’nor serves an incredible range of aperitifs, and he does buy his own wine.
The pub is still flourishing, but is now better known as the French House. Doubtless actors still drink there, but many of its punters seem to be journalists. At one time it was a favourite watering hole of writers from Private Eye, which has its office in the adjoining Frith Street ( though it doesn’t advertise the fact, presumably to deter enraged victims from physically assaulting Ian Hislop, its editor).Dylan Thomas got drunk here as did Charles de Gaulle when in exile. The late Jeffery Bernard and ‘Panorama’ front man in the sixties, Dan Farson, who wrote a book on Francis Bacon, were once drinking pals here, but today most of its clientele are likely to be tourists eager to experience the atmosphere of this once famous pub. Watney’s Red Barrel disappeared some time ago. But apparently they still serve that wonderful Breton cider that I used to drink here twenty or so years ago. They also boast thirty ‘ superb champagnes and wines by the glass’. Most remarkable is the fact that there is no music or television and mobile phones are banned. The small restaurant ( about 16 places) upstairs offers a ‘pared down ‘ French menu which is changed almost daily, which means that food cannot be ordered online. One recent online reviewer raved about the dishes he and his friend consumed, and especially recommended the madeleines, though your blogger remains to be convinced that however wonderful the food was, the bill for two of £245 was ‘good value’.
Pubs for unaccompanied women.
The Queen’s Head/Arms, Tryon Street, Chelsea.
In Scotland and the North of England it is still not done for women to go into any pubs. Although they are invading London pubs, women may not safely go into all pubs on their own. Until they can, so some people say, true social equality does not exist.
In some, even today, they will be shown the door, no matter how respectable they look. In most others, they will be the victims of male predators.
But there are a handful of London pubs, growing in number, where a lone woman is perfectly safe. One you can go to is the Queen’s Arms, in Tryon Street, Chelsea, where both setting and clientele are almost exaggeratedly decorous.
According to one blogger, the pub was ‘originally a bit of a gay brothel where rooms could be rented upstairs. Oscar Wilde was a regular visitor…I can remember some film stars in for lunch or just a pint or two. Alec Guinness, Trevor Howard were filming in Chelsea, Elaine Stritch was living in Anderson Street, and we all became very friendly. Jack the Hat ( Kray fame) would on occasion come in… Rudolf Nureyev was a customer. The public bar was always straight. Tony Armstrong-Jones came in a few times prior to meeting HRH, he lived in Pimlico, Rita Tushingham would come in, Diana Dors, who lived nearby’. This pub closed in 2016, much to the consternation of the gay community in Chelsea, who had patronised it for over sixty years. It has since re-opened as yet another ‘ family friendly ‘ gastropub, named ( for some reason) The Chalk Freehouse.
To be continued…
R. M. Healey