please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Reported today as closed:
The attempt failed to run it as a community pub
The pub today with the sign outside inviting locals to say Goodbye
The Devonshire Arms appears to be closed again- after less than two months as a community pub.
A sign outside the pub said ;
" We are leaving so tonight is our final evening. Why not pop in and say Goodbye".
ChiswickW4.com has confirmed that the freehold of the building has been sold.
Nobody could be contacted for comment.
When it reopened in early May as a pub, one of the owners, Paul Waterer, told Chiswick W4.com that it would not be a gastro-pub but would focus on being a traditional local pub.
"We want it to be the hub of the local community" he said at the time.
Before opening in Chiswick, he and business partners Paul Roomussaar and Rob Hutchings, ran the Prince Edward pub in Notting Hill. The tenancy expired there last February.
The three business partners were trying to replicate the success of their venture in Notting Hill where they said they had a mixed customer base, from eight to eighty-year olds, and tourists.
Local people believe the pub suffered from its location, which has dogged previous owners.
Attempts to run the property as a gastro-pub have also failed.
Rrestauranteur Nick Gibson closed it in February, less than a year after he had opened it with ambitions to provide fresh, seasonal British cooking and a range of British ales.
The 70-seat dining area, 16-seat bar, with 40 covers in the outside garden, was once been part of the Gordon Ramsey empire ( GRH) and Nick Gibson, who also runs the Draper's Arms in Islington, had taken it over in June 2011. He blamed its lack of success on a reluctance by local people to walk down from the Chiswick High Road .
The future of the property is currently unclear. The agents refused to comment on the matter.
June 27, 2012
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Went here expcting expensive restaurant food and was very surprised to find lots of very well priced British pub food. The biggest surprise of all was the good real ales and cheap cocktails. Having been to the Harwood arms and the Sands end I have to say that this is my favourite pub in London.
Well Done Gordon!
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With Gordon Ramsey involved it is obviously a gastro pub, which is not my sort of thing, but in my opinion it has been done very well. The public bar (image 2) is quite nice, but there isn�t much seating, so get there early. There are a couple of sofas by the front windows, some small tables with armchairs dotted about and the bar is lined with bar stools. There is a large dining area to the rear of the pub leading onto a fairly small, but well presented beer garden.
I found all of the staff to be friendly and polite and the drinks on offer were Pride, Deuchars, Leffe, San Miguel, Fosters and Guinness.
As I said before I am not a great fan of gastro pubs, but this place is pleasant enough for me to revisit.
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Now an archetypal gastro pub. Much of it given over to expensive dining - you know the type. London Pride and Deuchars IPA on though. 'Drinking-only' tables are limited in number from my evening visit (I expect it's the same at lunchtime too). Full of the "Chiswick set" and obviously doing well, as was at near capacity on a Tues night.
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gordon ramsay has bought it. Menu is pretentious 'Traditional English' ie Homemade Scotch Egg with HP sauce. Went a few nights ago - didn't eat because although pub was full - it was completely lacking in atmosphere. Noted staff were in uniforms although Gordon had had a go at a pub owner in his kitchen nightmares program for making staff look too stuffy.
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Definately been bought buy Gordon Ramsey...he is hoping to buy another 10 pubs this year according to the trade press.
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Its rumoured that Gordon Ramsey is taking this place over, which could account for the lack of interest from the current management.
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Not looking good. It was closed on Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago without explanation
anonymous - 19 Jul 2007 16:43 |
As a local I would love to love this place but I don't. The food can be very average and it is over priced (�21 for a smallish roast sirloin steak with two new potatoes and a artichoke leaf!)it is not really a gastro pub more of a restaurant as the uncomfortable bar area is tucked in a corner where the staff can't see you and therefore it is difficult to get served if you just fancy a pint.
There are far nicer restaurants and pubs with better service & food on Chiswick High Road, there really is not much point coming all the way down Devonshire Road to get to this place.
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Not sure why so many people are negative about this pub; its very good at what it does. If you want a traditional pub then you're probably better going elsewhere, as a gastropub its competing more against local restaurants than pubs.
The food is excellent, its designed more for couples and groups of people going out for a meal rather than someone who wants a burger with their beer. The pub is well decorated and the lighting/candles give it a nice atmosphere in the evenings.
One of the co-owners bought out the other recently and since then the beer garden has been refurbished into one of the best I know. They've also updated their selection of beers.
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Possibly the most disappointing "pub" in Chiswick. Food is average and beer selection is poor. Better off across the road in the Duke of York.
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Lovely place with a romantic atmosphere. Great for dates. Fantastic mood lighting at night with candles on each table. Friendly and helpful staff and a cosy beer garden.
Thoroughly recommend, one of the best pubs in Chiswick
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This is not a pub. The food is reasonable, though the portions are not huge by any means. As a previous poster mentioned, its disappointing to have no beer when the brewery is just down the road.
Dave - 19 Jul 2004 07:58 |
I ate hear today after reading very good reviews and having a couple of recommendations - i can only say that the food was very poor if in fact not completelt unenjoyable.
i had what seemed to mozzerela service with a perserve which would be best left for toast in the morning and followed by a steak panni which i would think would be hard to make inedible but the amount of grease that was on the bread made it revolting.
the service was pleasent although the atmosphere a bit lacking, also found the menu to be very limited to say that the food was not upto scratch
Rachel Dwyer - 24 Jun 2004 21:03 |
When the Devonshire House opened in May 03, they made bold claims that they were going to be a serious rival to La Trompette, a fabulous restaurant further up Devonshire Road. Based on the food, they have certainly done so - it is a great place to eat, with daily-changing menus of continual high quality.
As a pure pub, it does lack a bit of atmosphere. Since the majority of people are in there to eat, everyone is sitting at tables, which means that for a night out drinking there are many better options nearby, especially since there is no real ale.
However, if you want excellent food, with a far more relaxed atmosphere than a restaurant, it is the best place for miles around.
Andy - 30 Nov 2003 14:15 |
It has been beautifully refurbished, but my friends and I were really disappointed with the service. We waited at the bar for 20 minutes, and the place certainly wasn't full. The staff seemed rather indifferent the whole time.
Mary - 23 Oct 2003 13:16 |
Recently refirbushed. What was a dingy old mans local has become a very smart twenty somethings establidhment. Chocolate-brown leather sofas, Church candles, extensive wine list and white napkins - you get the idea. Definately worth a visit, especially if you are willing to pay a bit extra for a outstanding meal.
No real ale though - a crime when the pub is so close to the Fullers Brewery.
Julia - 29 Sep 2003 17:48 |
