The Devonshire team to open The Lady in Covent Garden
The team behind one of London’s most talked-about pubs, The Devonshire in Soho, have unveiled their next project - The Lady.
The historic six-storey Georgian building at 39-40 Bedford Street is set to be a new restaurant and pub that champions the same core values of craft, warmth and hospitality that made their first venture such a phenomenon.
Read more: Ashley Palmer-Watts on The Devonshire: London's must-visit pub
The new site has been approved for a premises license and is set to bring Oisín Rogers and Charlie Carroll’s signature attention to detail - from cellar to plate - to one of the capital’s busiest cultural districts.
A proper London pub - built for locals, not just theatre crowds
The Evening Standard reported that The Lady is being positioned as a true neighbourhood pub, even in an area that sees millions of visitors each year. Much like The Devonshire, it’s designed around the simple idea of doing the basics exceptionally well - a well-kept pint, a proper welcome, and food cooked with pride.
Everything from the hand-pulled ales to the carved wood bar and brass fittings nods to London’s long pub tradition. The bar follows the same technical setup as The Devonshire, where cellar care and line cleaning are treated like a craft.
Familiar faces and familiar standards
Much of the senior team from The Devonshire are set to join the new opening, bringing the same culture
of consistency that helped make the Soho pub one of the most respected in the city.
The menu follows a classically British format, with the focus on quality produce and traditional dishes that chefs actually want to eat: pies, roasts, grilled meats and well-made pub snacks.
It is also reported that the Lady is likely to showcase Ashley Palmer-Watts’ cooking 'prominently.'
While The Lady will inevitably attract pre-theatre diners and passing tourists, the intention is to serve locals first - the same formula that turned The Devonshire from a hype story into a hospitality benchmark.
The next evolution of a modern British institution
For many in the industry, the success of The Devonshire has been a masterclass in how to run a contemporary pub that still feels traditional - rooted in community, but executed with the precision of a top-end restaurant.
The Lady builds on that legacy, proving that London’s pub scene can still innovate without losing its soul.
Why it matters to the trade
The announcement of The Lady in Covent Garden comes at a time when independent operators are under pressure from rising costs and changing drinking habits. Yet projects like this show that there’s still strong appetite - and commercial success - for venues that get the fundamentals right.
An exact opening date for The Lady is yet to be announced.
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The Devonshire team to open The Lady in Covent Garden
