27-02-2025
180-year-old Battersea pub to reopen after being abandoned during Covid lockdown
A Battersea pub that's been abandoned since the Covid lockdown is set to be transformed into a Czech-style taproom. The Queen's Arms, on St Philip Street, has been taken over by Bohem Brewery, an independent chain specialising in dark lagers and malty pilsners.
This marks the fourth venture from co-founders Petr Skocek and Zdenek Kudr since launching their business in 2017. The pair currently operate their namesake Bohem Tap Room in Bowes Park and The Nicholas Nickleby in Finsbury Park, as well as a warehouse brewery in Tottenham.
If these venues are anything to go by, punters can expect live music, pub games, and snacks. However, it's likely the made over Queen's Arms will also boast traditional sideways-pouring taps and a chladici vana, a cooler bath that keeps glasses cold and wet, as dictated by Czech serving customs.
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In an online statement, the Bohem Brewery team said: "After opening the Nicholas Nickleby just 8 months ago, we found immense success and resounding support for not only our fabulous beer but also our brewery and what we stand to do for the beer world. Because of this, we're delighted to announce that Bohem Brewery has signed a lease on our third tap room: the Queens Arms in Battersea.
It'll take us a few (short) months to be up and running, but we look forward to raising a glass of authentic Czech style beer with friends old and new."
This will be the first time The Queen's Arms, which dates back to Queen Victoria's reign, will be occupied in almost five years. It shut in March 2017 after reportedly going bust before briefly reopening for a few months in 2020.
Chef Tarell McIntosh later announced his intention to turn the historic venue into a community-funded social enterprise in mid-2023 but these plans now appear to have been shelved.
For updates on The Queen's Arms transformation, check out Bohem Brewery's Instagram page.
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