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Detail Pages
Duke Of Edinburgh, SW9
SW9
SW9 8AG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
Visited November 2022:
This is a late 19th century pub, rebuilt in 1937 to the designs of Truman’s inhouse architect, A. E. Sewell. It’s grade II-listed, featuring on CAMRA’s list of pubs with interiors of historic interest, this being of Outstanding National Importance.
A first into this pub last night and indeed a first to Stockwell full stop, which I found to be a most herbally fragrant postcode indeed. The external Truman’s finery is very good and so is the interior, with an illuminated bar back parapet advertising their beers; there are two Truman’s mirrors integrated into the almost full height wood panelling; also of note is the chequered spittoon running around the bar. Otherwise, the interior is well described by other reviewers, with photos to be seen on CAMRA’s site. Arriving just two minutes before the final whistle on the England v. USA game, the atmosphere was unsurprisingly electric, unlike the lighting which was very dim. Customers were a mixed bunch, though about half left as soon as the game ended, which was odd for a Friday night.
Sadly, I was confronted with just one pump – unused – me opting for a half of Brixton Lager at £3.10, which actually tasted nicer than my usual emergency recourse to Neck Oil, served by a friendly barmaid.
This is a nice pub which would benefit from a decent selection of ales and lack of TVs, at which time it would be a sure-fire destination with a higher score.
On 28th April 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
This is another one to add to Brixton's collection of well kept historic back street boozers. In this instance, we have an inter war Trumans pub which retains some of the original livery on the austere exterior. Inside, there is a two bar layout, with a fairly small public bar to the front and a long lounge to the rear. The front room is roughly square shaped and has exposed floorboards and retro styled wallpaper throughout. Standard tables and chairs have been arranged over to the left whilst hard benches are squeezed into the front right corner with a pool table dominating this side of the room. A small brick fireplace with a large mirror above it acts as a focal point and there is a simple tongue and groove panelled bar counter to the rear right with a couple of TV screens competing for your attention whilst a decent jazz soundtrack plays in the background. Moving through into the lounge, you find the servery running down the right hand side of a long, narrow room with the same bare floorboards in evidence. However, the room is notably different from the public bar by virtue of the excellent oak panelling found throughout as well as some attractive stained glass windows. The bar appears to have its original counter which has a very unusual check-tiled trough running around the bottom - a feature I'm not sure I've ever seen before. The rest of the bar area was less impressive such as the relatively plain mirrored bar back and the vases of twigs which partially obscured some of the keg fonts. Pews and chairs run along the left hand wall and at the far end there was a cosy looking spot with sofas and armchairs in front of a nice fireplace. A second fireplace can be found at the front of the room underneath a rather appropriate old Trumans mirror and this room had its TV screens turned off, although the same jazz tunes were playing.
I noted three hand pumps on the bar, but all had revered clips on this visit so I found myself ordering a pint of Five Points Pale on keg dispense, which set me back a fiver but was at least pretty tasty. The barmaid was very pleasant and there was a good crowd in on my Wednesday evening visit - perhaps comprising people out on their work Christmas parties.
There are several interesting old pubs like this down the back streets of Brixton which have taken me far too long to discover. This place is well worth a look for it's well preserved interior and I got the impression that I was rather unfortunate to miss out on their cask ales on this occasion. I enjoyed snooping round here for a while and the place seems to avoid the usual Brixton Academy crowds, making it a viable option for a quiet pre-gig pint or two.
On 29th January 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
Interesting pub with quite a few features of historic interest about the place, and more comfortable inside than the austere exterior would have you believe. It retains a traditional layout with the public bar at the front (with pool table dominating the smallish room and seating in a side alcove and the rather larger dark wood-panelled lounge at the back. Sports TVs dominating on this visit due to the European football. Substantial beer garden plus a few wooden benches out front. Doom Bar, Tribute and Truman's Swift (£3.90, and rather hazy but not off) from three of six handpumps, with reversed clips for Wandle and Truman's Lazarus also noted. Seems to have a rather better atmosphere than most other pubs in the area.
On 9th July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
A former Truman's pub with the trademark eagle still on view outside, once inside the pub goes back a long way, effectively there are two areas straddled by the bar. The front area is the smaller, others have commented on a pool table and dartboard but unless I was in a world of my own I didn't see either. There were however a good selection of board games on top of an old 1970s radiogram. The rear area is significantly larger and has some fine wood panelling, a stone feature fireplace, a pair of Truman's mirrors and well preserved amber banded leaded windows, not of the Charrington style, I presume a Truman detail. The windows have exposed brick mullions.
Beyond is a huge garden with its own BBQ and bottle bar, this clearly was a big draw on a hot and sunny Saturday.
Mixed seating but mostly at scrubbed large tables, there are a few sofas about as well. Flowers in beer bottle "vases" on the tables.
A few beers on across a pair of banks of handpumps, Sambrook's Wandle and Junction, Doom Bar, SN Spitfire, the others were unclipped. TV showing cricket muted while music played.
It isn't a bad pub at all and the interior is relatively well preserved, what really jarred with me however was the need for security staff on the door at 4:20pm on a Saturday afternoon which included me as a 52 year old normally dressed individual having to subject to a bag search, I suppose they have their reasons but with the pub having no edgy feel at all and with plenty of families in attendance this seemed totally unnecessary. No other venue in the area was doing this.
On 22nd June 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a bit of a museum piece, a 1930’s Trumans pub with enough still intact to warrant inclusion on CAMRA’s historic pub interior inventory. It may not look too much from the outside but it does throw up a few surprises.
The interior is divided into a smallish front public bar and a larger main bar to the rear. The public bar contains a pool table and pinball machine (or sometimes a table football game). Seating is limited to a few stools, a couple of pews built in to recesses and a sofa.
The larger rear bar feels like a throwback to days of Watneys Red Barrel and Double Diamond. The walls are predominantly oak paneled and the stone window frames contain frosted coloured glass panels that create some spectacular rays of sun when conditions allow. A large brick fireplace is the centerpiece with a pair of pews either side although the lack of any tables with them does render them a bit impractical. There is a Big screen and a couple of normal TV’s used generally for sport. The once solid furnishings at one stage were replaced with a far more loungey set up that didn’t really suit the pub but they have since had a nother reshuffle and there is now a decent balance between the two.
The pub’s biggest asset is probably the huge and well maintained beer garden that now has its own bar (limited opening and selections) and a small stage for live music. The rumble of the occasional commuter train is the only disturbance to what can be a most tranquil spot that belies the fact that you are 5 minutes from the bustle of Brixton High Street.
It is also sufficiently off the beaten track to lose the crowds from the nearby Brixton Academy.
From my experiences the pub has had its fair share of ups and downs due to various chnges of management and the beer availablitiy has been a bit hit and miss. There are generally 2 ales available, currently St Austell Tribute and Sambrook Junction but theer are now also 2 new pumps simply designated as “Real Cider” and Real Perry”. I have eaten here in the past and the meals were always good value and served quickly although I suspect the latest changes are due to yet another management change and I can’t speak for the current food output.
Drinking in Brixton isn’t one of life’s better pleasures but when it’s on form, the Duke of Edinburgh is one of the better options.
On 10th August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
Thankfully this pub is little changed since other reviewers’ visits. From the outside it displays the traditional Truman’s signage, including the iconic black eagle. The pub’s on the CAMRA heritage inventory as it retains much of its inter-war fittings, including firm evidence of its multi-room past including vestiges of dividing screens, although it’s now largely been opened up; the impressive oak wood panelling; and leaded light windows. Furnishings are a complete mish-mash of conflicting styles, including wood settles with cushions, plastic covered tables, solid wood tables, sofas, armchairs, a whicker bamboo hooded chair, square poofs, and even a few normal chairs. There’s now only the one pool table in the front, smaller, room, where there is also a pinball machine, and none other than the classic Bride of Pinbot (but unfortunately switched off). This machine must be 20 years old if it’s a day. And here I saw yet another pair of descriptions for the lavatories – I took a (correct) gamble on Dukes being the Gents, but that meant that the “Debaucherers” was the ladies? Moving on, there was a garden at the rear, where flea markets are apparently held on Sundays, but which I didn’t explore on this visit.
The pub was empty when I entered, but within a minute or two a barman emerged from the back and clearly decided that the presence of a customer warranted having a Van Morrison CD blaring out. Oh well, you can’t win them all. There were a couple of ales on – St Austell Tribute and Sambrook’s Junction, the latter at £3.20 a pint – and no sign of food or menus at 2.15 PM on a Wednesday afternoon. Being so quiet it’s hard to judge what the place would be like during a typical, busier session, but despite the odd mix of furnishings I quite liked this pub. It makes a very welcome respite from the hectic chaos of Brixton High Street. It’s definitely worth the effort of wandering down Ferndale Road to find.
On 12th May 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about Duke Of Edinburgh
Bit out of the way, but worth seeking out. Large interior with wooden benches, which may get uncomfortable on a long session. But the best bit is the large garden, well hidden down a corridor of bushes either side. Only downside is that the railway runs right next to it.
On 26th September 2006
- rating: 6
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]