Is a celebrity-owned pub or wine bar any better or worse than your local? One intrepid YouTuber set off on a mission to find out the truth behind A-List owned venues
Owning your own pub seems to be the latest trend among celebrities, with Ed Sheeran, Idris Elba, Sir Ian McKellen, and David Beckham and Guy Ritchie all opening boozers in and around the capital in recent years.
But not all celebrity pubs are created equal, and YouTuber Ed Chapman set out on an epic trek to find out which was the best, and worst, of the big-name boozers. And along the way, he sampled one drink that was as unpleasant as it was expensive.
Sipping a frozen Aperol Spritz in one upmarket King’s Cross bar, he said: “This is probably one of the worst drinks I’ve ever had, truly. It’s half a glass. God knows how much it’s cost… and it’s absolutely disgusting.”
Ed started his jaunt at The Grapes, in Limehouse – a short walk from Canary Wharf. The historic pub owes its notoriety to the fact that it’s owned by Sir Ian McKellen – star of the Lord of the Rings and X-Men franchises, as well as several West End stage productions.
The Grapes serves a decent Guinness, Ed discovered, but it’s far from roomy: “There’s a nice outside area, but there’s only two tables. It is a very small, very tight pub.”
He also had one or two questions about the friendliness of the service, saying that the bartender appeared to “slam the drinks down on the bar.”
Next, Ed and his cameraman hopped on a couple of Lime bikes and pedalled up to Shoreditch, where Eighties star Rick Astley co-owns the Mikkeller bar. It’s focused around quirky craft beers, including the rather odd-sounding Strawberry Krush – a fruity £6 concoction that “just tasted like lager,” according to Ed.
Also on offer was a dark-coloured stout-like beer called Strawberry Chocolate Milk, which apparently tastes like “one of those strawberry chocolates you get in a [box of] Milk Tray.”
Ed noted that the glasses were smaller than a standard pint measure, making the drinks rather worse value than they initially seemed to be.
He liked the décor though, saying: “I will say it’s a nice place. Modern. It’s simple. It does the job,” although it seems a little light on atmosphere.
Next, Ed set off for Kings Cross, to check out Porte Noire – the swish wine bar fronted by multitalented actor and musician Idris Elba.
Idris should probably stick to film, TV and music, Ed says, even though the bar itself was fine. Despite some rather cheesy artwork in the loos: “It’s a very pleasant atmosphere,” he said, adding: “I’m surprised it’s not busier in there. It might be the prices, maybe.”
Certainly, Ed paid £13.50 for his half a glass of Aperol Spritz, which he found less than impressive., branding it “a waste of liquid.”
Porte Noire “wasn’t really a pub,” he concluded. “It was more of a wine bar than a pub, to be fair to it.”
Film director Guy Ritchie was one of the first of the current crop of celebrity pub owners, and his Lore of the Land pub on Conway Street in London’s Fitzrovia certainly looks more like a pub than the Idris Elba establishment.
He still wasn’t too impressed by his cocktail, though: “It wasn’t good, too sour,” he said. Overall, he wasn’t too taken with the Lore of the Land: “ I don’t think it was that impressive,” he said. “It’s in a nice location though.”
Next, to Notting Hill, for Ed Sheeran’s wine bar Bertie Blossoms, which was a distinct step up according to the YouTuber. His fruity cider was probably the best drink of the night” and the bar had a lively, bustling atmosphere.
“Nice little vibe,” he said. “Outdoor seating area. felt very sort of continental Europe …I actually had a drink I liked.” He marked it down, though, because it only had two beers on tap.
They next went down the road to The Walmer Castle, earning a second mention for Guy Ritchie, who co-owns the pub with former England star David Beckham.
The pub was extremely busy, which must have meant a lucrative night for Ritchie and Beckham, given that a single vodka and orange cost Ed £16.50.
The night ended at James Blunt’s boozer, a “country pub” tucked away in a secluded corner of Chelsea. It was the winner of the night, with plenty of beers on tap, for a change, and the singer’s noted sense of humour was in display in the customer wi-fi password, which is “youarebeautiful.”
Ed liked the atmosphere, saying it was “It’s a proper pub feeling,” adding “there’d never be a fight in there.”