A couple of Fridays ago, I wrote a post on street names in Belgravia, today I thought I would highlight some of Valkyrie’s favourite pubs near our office. We often frequent several of the pubs in the local area to meet clients and contacts or relax after a busy day in the office.
Our default ‘watering hole’ due to its proximity to our office (you can see it from our training room) and the friendly staff is The Star Tavern, a Grade II listed public house at 6 Belgrave Mews West, Belgravia, London SW1. It was built in the early to mid-19th century. It was listed as one of Business Insider’s best pubs in London. It has been listed in every edition of CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide since 1974, one of only five pubs to achieve this. The Great Train Robbery in 1963 was planned in the pub.
The Grenadier is a public house on Wilton road just off Belgrave Square. We especially like the military history of this pub. It was originally built in 1720 as the officers’ mess for the senior infantry regiment of the British army, the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and located in a courtyard of their barracks. It was opened to the public in 1818 as The Guardsman, and subsequently renamed in honour of the Grenadier Guards’ actions in the Battle of Waterloo. Being secluded in a wealthy district of London, it was frequented in the past by the Duke of Wellington and King George IV and continues to attract an elite clientele with reported visitors including Madonna and Prince William. It is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a subaltern (young Cedric) who was beaten to death for cheating at cards.
Elizabeth street is the home of The Thomas Cubitt, tennis at Wimbledon is the only sport that’s ever allowed to grace the pub’s TV screens. One of Belgravia’s most exclusive pubs, The Thomas Cubitt is named after one of London’s great master builders (we’ve posted about Cubitt previous) – and the man who just so happened to have been in charge of the construction of most of the Belgravia area.
The Horse and Groom located on the aptly named Groom place is a hidden gem, this traditional, intimate and well-maintained wood-panelled pub with etched glass windows is tucked away in the corner of a quiet cobbled mews where the outside courtyard is busy in summer.
We do enjoy frequenting and supporting these local businesses. Have a great weekend!
