The Prospect of Whitby has reopened its doors following a £185,000 investment to restore it to its former glory and celebrate its colourful and grizzly history.

Hailed as one of the most famous pubs in London, The Prospect of Whitby dates back to 1520 when it opened as a basic Tavern in the hamlet of Wapping. It thrived in the 17th Century among the rapidly emerging docks of London. Nestled on the banks of the Thames, the pub attracted a villainous crowd of thieves, smugglers and pirates which earned it the reputation as “the Devil’s Tavern”.

The pub is reported to have been the site for the first bare knuckle boxing match and villains were also strapped to the pubs moorings and left to drown at high tide. A hangman’s noose hangs outside as a grim reminder to the Hanging Judge, John Jeffries, who became notorious for his role in hanging the leaders of the Monmouth rebellion in 1685.

Regional Operations Director, Dan Robinson, explained how the team had set about the recent refurbishment: “Everyone at Punch Pub Company is very aware that our London pubs include some important British history. We wanted to sensitively invest in The Prospect of Whitby so it could continue to be a vibrant London Tavern and cater for all the needs of the modern pub goer, whilst preserving and remaining true to its heritage.

“The team studied a number of old photos of the site and spoke with local historians to create a scheme that has actually reinstated a number of fixtures and fittings that would have been in the pub and brought its history back to the forefront. Our guests will feel transported back in time, but will have a much fresher pub environment to enjoy, including an improved food offer. The refurbishment has enabled us to offer hand carved Sunday roasts and a specials menu.”

The pub also has artistic links; it has been sketched by Turner and both Samuel Pepys and Charles Dickens are said to have visited and written from the pub. Charles Dickens even references the Tavern in his novel “Our Mutual Friend”.

John Towler, General Manager at the pub, has spent his life along the river Thames and feels that the pub is also part of his history. John said: “I jumped at the chance to run The Prospect of Whitby as I have been past it on the river so many times while boating with my parents. I took on the pub in November 2008, with the intention of developing the service, standards and atmosphere of the Prospect’s heyday”.

“I’m delighted that the refurbishment has really focused on the pub’s past. Each room now has a piece of driftwood on the wall with a short account of one of the pub’s many pieces of history. I also adore the fact that there are so many of the pub’s original timbers and features in place, including the flagstone floor which dates right back to 1520. Some of the pub’s structural timbers actually came from old ships and we have the original pewter topped bar, believed to be the longest in the world, which is supported by beer barrels.

“We have a great team here and the pub is looking forward to another 400 years or so of success! We’re a very small part of its history, but we love being here and have some great plans. Our new food offer will really help us grow our trade as we’re able to serve up a particularly good Sunday roast for just £10.25 and our specials will mean that there’s always something new on the menu for our regulars to try.”

The pub’s more recent history includes being the place where the Blow Monkeys formed and rehearsed. The group launched their album, the Devil’s Tavern, at the pub in 2008 and chose the title in reference to it’s original name before it burnt down and was rebuilt in 1777. In the 1950’s, the Prospect was an iconic music venue for students and operated a renowned restaurant frequented by celebrities including Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra and Rod Steiger. Photographs still hanging in the pub show Prince Ranier and Grace Kelly seated in the Pepys Dining Room and Princess Margaret even had her own chair in her favourite spot in the bay window overlooking the Thames.