Situated on the prestigious Duke Street, a stones throw from the infamous Fortnum and Mason, this ‘pub’ is all about keeping up appearances. Its name conjures up images of an ostentatious West End bar but country cottage is actually more the ticket with paintings of rural England adorning the walls, a low rise wooden beamed ceiling and crimson walls barely illuminated by candles. It’s the kind of place you could head to for a few drinks after work and never want to leave again thanks to the comfortable and cosy atmosphere and TV screens projecting images of roaring fires. Towards the end of the night when the effects of the real ale start to kick in, the big leather armchairs look more and more appealing and you might find yourself believing you’re already back at home… In essence it’s a pub trading on a posh name, but in times of the credit crunch it’s all about embellishment.
32A Duke Street, SW1Y 6DF. Tel: 0207 930 0620. Web: www.walkersofstjames.co.uk