Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Duchess Belle, SW8
SW8
SW8 4DS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Duchess Belle
A surviving Victorian pub in an area of massive redevelopment, but recently refurbished to suit the taste and match the wallets of the affluent nearby residents in and around Battersea Power Station. Annoyingly loud music and fake floral decoration around the U-shaped bar, but there is a front patio and a rear garden as well. Just London Pride (eye-wateringly expensive at £6.50) from what is now a single handpump.
On 30th December 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Duchess Belle
As the Duchess of York, this pub dates from 1789 to be rebuilt in 1883, the current name applied in 2018 on becoming part of the Belle chain, situated opposite Battersea Power Station station and to the south of both substantial new developments and eponymous Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s edifice which has recently reopened as a shopping centre.
Even more so than the sister Griffin Belle, the interior is a textbook example of High Camp; bevelled mirrors to the front of the bar, then metallic rococo tiled ceiling in part, the main being covered in gaudy plastic leaves, flowers and enormous butterflies; cast iron columns are painted fuchsia (see photo) and there are Victorian-style crystal chandeliers. Thereafter there are a multitude of large TVs showing motorsport, commentary competing with background music. Furniture is fairly conventional, with a red banquette, some tables uncleared and exhibiting sauce bottles. Customers looked to be shoppers from BPS and given the décor some possibly gay customers, few in number for a Saturday night, though perhaps there were more out back in the substantial gazebo garden.
There’s just Pride available here, swerved for a half of Neck Oil, served by a perfunctory barman, price forgotten.
The utterly OTT interior and lack of a decent cask beer means I wouldn’t trouble this place again; the Mason’s down the road is the preferred option.
On 22nd August 2023
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Duchess Belle
Now just called The Duchess. Has seating out the front, a back garden & a roof terrace. Sells real ale, but both clips were turned round. Lunch served. Upddate: Now has a fenced area for seating out the front. As noted in the title, the name is now Duchess Belle, run by the same people as the Griffin Belle in Vauxhall.
On 22nd July 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Duchess
There were a few real ales on in here - GK IPA, Hogsback TEA, and the GK "house" ale called Duchess Ale (£2.20 a half), which is actually Hardy & Hanson Bitter rebadged. Orchard Pig Hogfather cider was also available. I didn't see any sign of food when I was in late afternoon on a Friday.
This pub has now been fairly modernised, but in a fairly tasteful way. Perhaps some might not consider the couple of enormous framed black and white photographs of naked ladies in artistic poses as tasteful, but I thought they went quite nicely. Other features of note were the old jukebox, presumably as a decorative feature as it had a "do not touch" sign on it, the brewery mirrors, and the large platform above the door to the garden bearing a piano, guitar and motor scooter all in Union Flag livery. Unusual, to say the least. It's bare-boarded of course, but all furnishings were normal tables and chairs. There's also a reasonably large garden at the back.
It was obviously fairly wuiet late afternoon on a Friday, but they had enough punters in to make it worth their effort of opening up. I imagine that they will hope to generate extra business when the Battersea Power Station development opens. I quite liked my short visit here, even if some of the traditional pub character had been lost. The beer selection seems to have improved a bit since its last refurbishment, but as a Greene King pub it's never going to be great.
On 10th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]