Duke of York, 45 Harrowby St

Duke of York, 45 Harrowby St, W1H 5HT

As I enter I am almost smacked across the head by a rugby ball that the two Australian barmen had been throwing at each other. Oh. I look around the bar and realize that my arrival has just increased the pub’s population by 50%. Not good. Undeterred I proceed to buy a drink and one of the barman pops behind the bar to serve me. I order a pint of the only bitter that they have on and find a seat. After a while I realize that I am in pub hell. A big screen pumps out dance hits at full volume and the bored barmen resume their rugby ball throwing. I look away and cast an eye over my surroundings instead. The shabby décor still appears to be suffering the effects of an ill-considered refit in the 1970s. The whole effect is capped off by a hideous colony of rugby figurines above the bar. A couple walk into the pub and immediately leave with ashen faces. After a while a girl walks in and the bored barmen start chatting her up. It turns out she works behind the bar too. Great and there I was worried that I might not be able to get served. Just as the irritating whining accents were starting to get too much a bloke walks in, this time it’s a customer. Finally. Pint in hand he escapes to the corner containing the quiz machine. Leaving my empty pint I make for the other corner and the exit.

Reviewed by Paul Melton, Dec 2008

Telephone: 020 7262 9129

Nearby pubs: The Duke Of Wellington, 94a Crawford Street (280 metres), The Harcourt Arms, 32 Harcourt St (220 metres), The Windsor Castle, 27-29 Crawford Place, Marylebone (150 metres), The Beehive, 7 Homer Street, Marylebone (210 metres), The Victory, 4 Brendon Street (80 metres)

Nearest station: Edgware Road (Circle/District/H&C), Zone 1 (370 metres)