The Duke Of Sussex

Call us crazy but we have a large soft spot for Waterloo and even despite its best efforts to fill itself with gleaming chain venues, it can’t shake us off. From the trains rattling around to the theatres, chip shops and classic London architecture, there’s always something to turn you away from the Giraffes and Ping Pongs of the area - like the Duke of Sussex. This tired old boozer may well be in possession of a look that probably went out of date twenty years ago but to some of us – okay, me – that’s a look worth searching for.

The bar may only be able to pitch you a range of draught lager that includes Fosters, Becks and Grolsch (that’s it) but fancy ales aren’t ever going to make much of a difference in a pub like this. It’s friendly, large and filled with a crowd of people that come here because it’s comfortable; or just close and convenient. The carpet is worn and the walls could do with a lick of paint but there are two TVs that work, a stage that hosts the odd karaoke night and an atmosphere that you just don’t get in a new opening. The Duke of Sussex has built up its lived-in charm over years, slowly adding to its alluring chintz so when you’re next in Waterloo and trying to escape the clutches of Las Iguanas, come here for a lovely cold pint of Fosters and maybe even a sing-song.