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The Duke of York, which belonged to the Royal Brewery of Brentford, was built in York Road by 1898 in Victorian gothic style with a turret. An extension was added later facing the Great West Road in Neo-Georgian or “Road House” style. By 1937 the address had become Great West Road rather than York Road.The Duke of York became part of the Beefeater chain and it was renamed The New England in 2001. An advertisement from that time claimed that“What sets the New England apart from many other venues is the theme we employ. From the subtle decor through to the exciting food, customers can enjoy a classic taste of The Big Country without the hype and razzmatazz usually associated with themed restaurants and bars. Taking our inspiration from the adventurous spirit of the Pilgrim Fathers who founded the very first colonies of the New World in 1620, we aim to recreate the simple and basic values to bring you a social and dining experience you won't forget.”The pub closed in 2005 and remained derelict until 2016. In 2010 two men who entered the building via a hole in the roof were searching for scrap metal when they discovered the decomposing body of a man hanging behind the bar. Where the man was found there were many empty beer cans and it was suspected he may have been living in the derelict pub. There was a fire in the building in 2009 and neighbours were concerned that a fire could spiral out of control due to the amount of rubbish inside the grounds.The site is now being cleared to make way for a proposed development of 20 homes for the Shepherd’s Bush Housing Association.

Jim Storrar ● 3318d