Duke of Wellington, Belgravia, SW1

An traditional looking street corner pub located down a residential side street but just a minute or two’s walk from Sloane Square, it looks quite attractive with hanging baskets and other foliage outside, and many punters were sat outside enjoying the sun on our recent Sunday afternoon visit. Internally it’s got a reasonably traditional style to it, although has perhaps been renovated at some time and doesn’t feel as authentically original as many others in the vicinity. It consists of a single U-shaped room wrapped around a central bar counter. A tartan style carpet was on the floor with dark wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and royal blue paintwork above. A small fireplace was off tone one side, with some unusual wallpaper on the chimney breast containing porcelain figureheads. At the rear the walls were entirely clad in oak wood panelling, giving something of an elegant, hotel drawing room feel, and there were a number of old black and white pictures of the locale dotted around the walls. Padded bench seating was around much of the perimeter, as well as a number of high stools. Beers on tap were all from Shepherd Neame with their Whitstable Bay, Spitfire and Master Brew. The solitary cider was Orchard View, which was a new one on me. Apparently it’s a collaboration between Shep’s and Aspall’s, and went down surprisingly well given the latter’s involvement. All in all, not the most exciting pub perhaps, but worth taking a short stroll to find something a little more peaceful and less pretentious than many of the other nearby options.

Smallish Shepherd Neame pub with nothing above 4.5% ABV. Outside seating but nothing special about this place.

Small Shepherd Neame pub that hasn't had a gastro refurb. 5 real ales and food served.

Yes will concur, a very pleasant little boozer and traditionally well maintained by Shep Neame who have resisted the temptation to gastrofy and cash in on its location. Very nice central U shaped bar with seating around and plenty of Duke of Wellington themed pictures and prints on the walls, including a framed Wellesley family tree. Whitstable Bay and Bishops Finger were doubled up on the five pumps and Spitfire made the third Shep Neame brew and the Bishops Finger was well kept but at Sloane Square price levels. Plenty of people both inside and outside for my early Saturday evening visit and rightly so as this is one of the better locations in the area for that traditional pub experience

The Duke of Wellington is a small U shaped Shepherd Neame pub with a bar that supports five hand pumps. During my visit on Thursday afternoon last week these were drawing Master Brew (x2), Spitfire, Late Red and Bishops Finger. Oranjeboom, Asahi, Strongbow, Guinness and San Miguel were the draught options, the latter of which set me back £2.15 for a half. Food is served and the mains on the specials board were priced around the £8 mark. Sky Sports is shown on the two plasma screens and during my visit Nadal had just beaten Federer in the Australian Open Semi-final. I found the service to be polite and the governor replaced a pint that was returned without any questions asked. I’m not sure that my wallet could handle an extended stay in here, but it is a very pleasant little boozer.

A gem of a pub, tucked away down a side street and away from the hustle and bustle. It's the sort of pub you go to and sit and relax over a good pint. Ales always well kept. Will return.

I found this a warm and inviting little pub. Being carpeted throughout, and with a fire on the go (coal effect gas fire perhaps?) made it seem a warm haven on a bitterly cold day. The fire had the obligatory bloke sitting beside it doing his crossword, with a portrait on the chimney breast. It might have been of the Iron Duke himself, but didn’t really look like the other portraits of him that I had seen. This pub is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area (especially as it’s only a short stroll from Victoria Coach Station) as long as you don’t mind Shepherd Neame ales.

A street corner Shepherd Neame pub with a central island bar in a single carpeted room. Mainly traditional seating but with a few stools at perimeter drinking shelves. Lower walls wood panelled, painted white/cream above which gives a light and airy feel, windows have opaque glass. It was nice to see the fire lit on a bitterly cold day and despite the weather on a Monday lunchtime there were a fair few customers in, many enjoying the reasonably priced basic pub food, eg cod and chips £7.95, sandwiches and toasties between £4-5. Various old photos, military prints, a family tree of the House of Wellesley and always a favourite in my book, framed plans of the original building. The TV high in the corner had the news on with sound. Standard Sheps beers, Master Brew x2, Spitfire, Bishop's Finger and new to me, seasonal Howling Wolf. Typical high Sheps and Belgravia prices, the HW was £3.45. Certainly a proper pub and therefore better than many of the upmarket pretentious establishments in the area.

Duke of Wellington page at the Shepherd Neame site - www.shepherd-neame.co.uk