Celebrities are raising the bar by opening up their very own boozers...

The Grapes - Sir Ian McKellen

Immortalised by Dickens, the narrow riverside pub The Grapes is an old-fashioned pub now co-owned by Sir Ian McKellen, with theatre and film director Sean Mathias, and Evgeny Lebedev, publisher of the Evening Standard newspaper. The Grade II listed public house is situated directly on the north bank of the Thames in London's Limehouse area, with a veranda overlooking the water. The current building dates from the 1720s and is on the site of a pub built in 1583. Aside from Dickens, other popular writers were drawn by the huddled buildings, wharves and docks by the bustling river: Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray; Arthur Conan Doyle, who sent Sherlock Holmes in search of opium provided by the local Chinese immigrants; and, more recently, Peter Ackroyd in the Limehouse Golem. 

The Fox & Pheasant - James Blunt

The Fox & Pheasant (pictured), an authentic old English pub located in Chelsea owned by musician James Blunt. The 'little country' pub was founded in 1846 and began its life as the Bedford Arms. Ten years later it changed to the Prince of Wales and in 1965 became The Fox & Pheasant. Recently refurbished (complete with a glass ceilinged conservatory) and updated with a sophisticated make-over yet keeping its charm - expect a seasonal menu of sustainable, locally sourced food as well as an all-day bar snack menu and roasts served all day on Sundays.

Bertie Blossoms - Ed Sheeran

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran (godfather of Blunt’s son) is behind this kitsch 'pub' on Portobello Road in Notting Hill. Formerly a Spanish restaurant - Bertie Blossoms is named after Ed's wife Cherry Seaborn and co-founded with his manager, Stuart Camp. The pub and 'neighbourhood dining concept' is decked out with plump green booths, dim lighting and kitsch paintings and quietly opened in late summer 2019. Announcing the launch on Instagram he's quoted that the place offers "good beer and good food". The menu offers dishes inspired by different parts of the world but has received very mixed reviews from critics. Sheeran also owns the Lancaster Lock pub on his estate in Suffolk. 

Lore of the Land - Guy Ritchie

Nestled among the streets of Fitzrovia, the building, formerly known as The Lukin, has been a pub since 1829 - and is the latest venture from film director Guy Ritchie. Ritchie, who also runs his own micro-brewery called Gritchie on his own farm in Dorset, was previously a landlord at Mayfair haunt The Punchbowl back in 2008, when he was still married to Madonna. Expect a traditional pub with personality and charm and a contemporary English menu. Head upstairs to the more formal farm-to-fork restaurant. This is a decent pub for every occasion, from a pint to a traditional Sunday lunch. 

Ideal For

Pub banter