It’s a very small club,
The 193-years-old club
It’s a very small club,
The 193-years-old club
It’s a very small club,
The 193-years-old club
It’s a very small club,
The 193-years-old club
Prouder than proud
Heritage
Since buying a brewery and 82 London pubs in 1831, we have been an independent family
business. Not only in the strictest sense because someone with the surname Young has always
been part of the team, but as a big, happy (and constantly growing) hospitality family.
The brewery was a hive of industry and eccentricity. Oceans of beer left its gates in carts
pulled by Shire horses and, eventually, lorries when lorries were invented. And the pubs have
always been proper ones. Refreshing Londoners at first but steadily radiating outwards since
2010. All that’s gone before makes us all we are today.
A few stops along the
long and lively journey
that is our history
Where it all began. Charles Allen Young and Anthony Fothergill Bainbridge bought the Ram Brewery and 82 pubs.
Our funniest stories
(so far)
There was almost an elephant in the family
The power of elephants was something John Young witnessed firsthand when serving in Ceylon in WWII. He was a fighter pilot in the Fleet Air Arm (the Royal Navy’s air division), and thanks to monsoons, the jets would get stuck in the mud of the makeshift runways. Locals and their elephants would save the day by pulling the aircraft out of the mud.
Fast forward to John Young’s time as our Chairman and his thought that one elephant could do the job of six Dray horses (which would be very efficient indeed). He set about finding an elephant to join the family. And he found one in the UK called Elizabeth. He was in the process of buying her when an elephant expert pointed out that an elephant’s feet would not be comfortable on frosty ground. That put an end to that (he was an animal lover, after all). But it still stands that the stables at the brewery almost had to get bigger doors.
We had an unofficial city farm
From post-WWII to the day we shut our Wandsworth brewery in 2006, the stables became a sort of unofficial city farm. It started with the families of Young’s coming in to see the animals on a Sunday. And then it grew into visits from what must have been every Wandsworth local. It’s clear to see why this happened – it was some menagerie. There were Shire horses, donkeys, RamRod D’Arcy (our Dorset Horn ram), a flock of geese, peacocks, cats, ducks, chickens, guineafowls – all being treated like royalty and making Sundays in Wandsworth the best day of the week.
A swift pint for Swift
The Bull & Gate in London’s Kentish town is no stranger to hosting future stars. Being the hallowed music venue it is, it has seen the likes of Coldplay and Nirvana play there in their young-and-up-and-coming days.
But back in October 2017, a megastar – none other than Taylor Swift – filmed part of her End Game video at the pub. Ed Sheeran was there, too. And so was Taylor’s Dad. Apparently, he loved the Guinness. Cheers, Mr Swift.
An interesting way in
Our Chairman, John Young, always up to mischief, conned his way into 10 Downing Street by masquerading as a waiter. He had always wanted to see what it was like inside, and this was his fun way of doing it. He poured drinks for the Prime Minister of the time, Margaret Thatcher, and her guests. He prepared snacks (prunes in bacon, which were fashionable in 1983). He carried big baths of ice up many flights of stairs. He had already been awarded a CBE at this stage, and some of the guests actually knew him in his Chairman of Young’s capacity, but not a soul recognised him out of context.
The characters
(well, some of them)
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Charles Allen Young
Charles Allen Young
We got our name from this chap – a cooper (the old-timey name for beer barrel makers) who was the son of a cooper who started us brewing in 1831.
RamRod D’Arcy
RamRod D’Arcy
Our mascot wasn’t just a graphic in a logo. He was a living, breathing, super-cute superstar of a pet who lived at the brewery stables, and met the Queen.
Adele
Adele
Not only did Adele bump, the guy she wrote her breakthrough album about in one of our pubs (the Duke of Wellington). She celebrated her first record deal there, too.
The Queen Mum
The Queen Mum
Dearly departed Queen Mum was a friend of the family. In 1987, she poured and enjoyed a pint of Young’s beer at The Queen’s Head, declaring it better than champagne.
John Young
John Young
No one could forget our Chairman for 42 years, between 1962 and 2006. Genius and mischievous, he was awarded a CBE for services.
Wandle Robert
Wandle Robert
One of the Shire horses to join our family. He was officially the tallest horse in England and, in 1971, was shown off to the Queen and the King of Afghanistan.
John Hatch
John Hatch
There is nothing our lab-coat-wearing, museum-running brewing aficionado John doesn't know about beer, how to make it, and what makes it good.
Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley
Our pub, Dirty Dicks, is named after this 18th-century dandy. Apparently, he inspired Charles Dickens to create the character of Miss Havisham.
Every pub sign has a story
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Our pub signs are designed with history and heritage in mind – every single time. So, while you might see a pub name pop up more than once (did you know Red Lion is the most common pub name in the UK?), there’s nothing common about our pub signs and their from-the-archive designs.
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The Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark
Named after the UK's famed clipper ship, this pub has witnessed Greenwich's incredible maritime history since 1795.
Defector's Weld
Defector's Weld
This pub name originates from the fact that one of the famous "Cambridge five" Cold War spies worked nearby at the BBC.
Dirty Dick's
Dirty Dick's
Dirty Dick's was originally called The Old Jerusalem until William Barker renamed it after Richard Bentley, a filthy merchant known for his dirty habits.
Double Locks
Double Locks
Named after its proximity to the Exeter Canal, it dates back to 1565 and was the first canal to feature a pound lock.
Green Man
Green Man
Once a spot for pre-duel drinks and post-win celebrations, this pub is steeped in the area's history of duelling and its role in marking both rivalry and victory.
Hand & Spear
Hand & Spear
Named after the Baron of Ockham's family crest, this former summer house is now a welcoming community space for all.
Hollywood Arms
Hollywood Arms
Made famous by two ambitious balloonists, this site saw their first ascent from the military academy once located here in 1784.
Lass O'Richmond
Lass O'Richmond
Overlooking Richmond Park, this pub celebrates the romantic image of a lass with a thornless rose, while highlighting the area's natural beauty.
Duke of Cambridge
Duke of Cambridge
With Battersea's historic ties to the lavender fields of the 18th and 19th centuries, this pub looks to honour it local roots.
Finch's
Finch's
Named after the H.H. Finch estate purchased by Young's in 1991, this pub reflects a blend of past and present.