Former chef to Prince Charles buys pub lease

Visen Anenden, who worked as one of the top chefs to His Royal Highness for nine years, has signed a long-term lease at the Enterprise Inns pub, which forms part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Anenden has also worked under Michel Roux Jnr at Le Gavroche and for celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson.

Along with a private business partner, Anenden has invested £180,000 in transforming what was a run-down community pub into a stylish destination eatery. The new-look restaurant area has 65 covers and outside customers can enjoy a smart garden and patio.

All ingredients for the pub's menu will be seasonally sourced from small British producers to create what Anenden describes as "honest, delicious menus and inventively tasty bar snacks".  In keeping with the royal links, all beef, lamb and pork will be supplied from Home Farm at Highgrove, an organic farm operated by The Duchy of Cornwall. The team is adept at butchery, taking a nose-to-tail approach so no part of the animal is wasted.

Anenden said: “I’ve known the Duchy for a number of years and firmly believe there is a gap in the market for a decent gastropub.

"The site has had a fair amount of problems in the past, but I’m hoping we will appeal to local residents and professionals from the bustling business district on Albert Embankment which is just a stone’s throw away. Visitors to the nearby Oval cricket ground are also an obvious target for us."

Enterprise regional manager Indy Kenth said: “Visen is a great example of the calibre of talent we are attracting to run our pub businesses and we are working with him and his team to help develop trade at the Duchy.”