Our history
The road we find our pub on was named after Edward, Prince of Wales, as he owned the land and chose to build his palaces in the local area.
When the pub was built in the 1880s, the borough was dominated by the Doulton buildings and pottery factory near to the river end of Black Prince Road. The Jolly Gardeners would have been a spit and sawdust kind of place where the potters would have a pint or two after a long shift. One of the renowned local entertainers, Charlie Chaplin Snr, played the piano in the corner (which still stands), and part of his job was to boost the place’s profits by encouraging punters to stay for another drink.
Luckily for us, the pub avoided getting hit by the Luftwaffe in World War 2. Not so lucky was the rest of Black Prince Road, which had no less than 20 bombs to contend with over the course of the conflict.
In the 90s, the pub’s name was changed to The Jolly Cockney, and that’s where Guy Ritchie chose to film the famous ‘Desert Eagle .50’ scene in his crime comedy Snatch.
Our people
Conceived in lockdown, five friends with over 65 years’ experience in some of London’s best restaurants and bars, found themselves out of work or on furlough as the pandemic hit. When they chanced upon the perfect opportunity to realise a dream and open a pub together back in March, it felt like the ideal time to take the chance and open their ideal boozer bringing the pub to them whilst all other pubs remained firmly shut.
Their common goal was simple: to open an honest and welcoming public house, with food central to its ethos and offering, where they would all genuinely love to enjoy a pint together.
The Jolly Gardeners team, whose collective experience include the likes of Oblix, Polpo, Neptune, Big Easy, The Delaunay, Gauthier and Silo are Jonathan Kaye and the Blucert brothers; Dan and Nick. Each with an equally important role front of house, kitchen and bar respectively, these guys will be bringing the restaurant quality service, food and drinks to the neighbourhood. Tirelessly making sure everything is running and upkeeping the beautiful Victorian building are surveyor Rob Humphreys and Engineer Ryan Vivian.
Fancy a drink?
Just swing by, the majority of the pub operates on a walk in basis. (Just like a pub should be!)
Book our restaurant
Fancy arranging a big get-together in South London? Please use the Resy widget below, drop us an email on [email protected] or even call us on 02079677327
Book our secret garden
Tucked away at the back of the venue, our cosy pub garden is the perfect destination for a more private affair. Call or email us now to get this exclusive hideaway all to yourself.