The community-loved Erith pub that keeps regulars coming back for decades
Toni took over the pub on Brook Street in November 2023, taking on the lease with a business partner after the previous landlady decided to leave.
The pub is community focused with plenty of events held at the venue, bringing together locals at a family-friendly and personable venue.
Toni told the News Shopper: 'I've worked here since I was 19 when I was at uni and just needed some extra money, so I started working behind the bar. I just stayed. I've never left.
'I was born in the flats at the top of the road and we lived a few doors down until I moved into the pub itself.'
The pub's regulars are loyal, with many visiting multiple times a week, but she describes her clientele as a real mix.
She said: 'There's a good core group of regulars that come in every day but Sunday's are our busiest.
'Some been drinking here for 10, 20 years. Some of them even longer than that, longer than I've even been alive.'
She describes the pub's customer base as a mix of older locals, younger drinkers, dog walkers and families.
She explained: 'We're right next to the park so we get a lot of dog walkers. We've been putting posters up that we're dog-friendly.
'We've got complimentary dog treats and we've just started selling dog ice cream.'
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The beer garden at The Duchess is one of its biggest draws, especially in the warmer months. It's a large outdoor space with plenty of seating, including new benches that were recently added.
Plans for a children's play area are currently on hold but Toni still hopes to make it happen before the end of the year.
Though The Duchess doesn't serve food day-to-day, Toni likes to offer something complimentary on busier days.
She explained: 'We don't do food, but on Sundays I'll always do roast potatoes and if there's football on I might do a slow cooker of chilli and rice or some chicken wings.
'I'll just put it out and say, 'help yourself.''
The Duchess is a Star Pubs site, serving big-name beers like Fosters, Carling, Cruzcampo, Moretti, Guinness and Neck Oil. '
She added: 'We've got two cask ales on rotation. We try to change them every week.'
Inside, the pub was given a light refurbishment by the brewery last year.
The Duchess has Sky Sports and TNT and shows all major Premier League games.
Toni recently organised an annual charity day in partnership with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.
Charity day in partnership with the Taxi Charity (Image: Toni S)
She said: 'This year we had a military truck in the garden and a 100-year-old veteran called Dorothea came down.
'We had veterans here speaking to children, letting them play on the truck. It was amazing.'
In the coming weeks, Toni Stevenson will take on the 54-mile London to Brighton Bike Ride on Sunday, June15 2025, to raise funds for the Institute of Cancer Research, a cause very close to her heart.
Toni lost her dad to liver cancer in 2016, and since 2023, her mum has been bravely battling small cell lung cancer, a form of the disease that currently has no cure.
Alongside the bike ride, Toni, with help from family and friends, has organised a series of fundraising events at The Duchess of Kent in Erith.
These include drag bingo, bake offs, a chilli challenge, street parties, cocktail nights, medium demonstrations, and fun days.
Toni hopes these events will bring the community together to support life-saving cancer research and honour those affected by the disease.
You can find out more about these events on the pub's website.
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