The Duke On The Green, Fulham

This is not a great pub, not when compared to the White Horse the other side of the green. I went there last night, after being told nothing but bad things about the hoity toity clientele and bad service and to be honest as I walked in I was surprised by the warmth and enjoyable bustle of the place.

After waiting a little for the bar staff to get in gear I gained a beverage and walked into the table area where about 50 seats were being used by a handful of people, mostly one to a table. I checked table one only to find it was booked from ten minutes earlier. Fine with this I moved to table two, also empty, also booked. In the end only three tables were free and they were taken so I returned to the bar.

Over the next hour the tables were not filled but there was nowhere to sit so we could no relax fully.

As for the clientele, it is true, to be a regular plums in the mouth are essential, younthful overspilling from the Old Kings Road aplenty. A blonde who in 20 years will be a hefty Sloane Warrior, pearls and all, did shout to her equally blonde friend the question "you want a drink, yar, how about a white wine spritzer?"

My recommendation: Only go if already drunk, not wanting to sit, or if you are going there are part of a polo reunion with Tarquil, Curruthers, Strangely Brown and Pinkington-Smiythe, all with collars up, all in Barbour. Better still just head to the White Horse, it is infinitely better.

5 Dec 2008 09:43