For as long as I can remember, Public had been my regular Saturday night Chelsea haunt. Always filled with friendly faces and old school beats, a night in PUBLIC was guaranteed to be good times.
You can imagine my dismay then when PUBLIC closed. A huge fun sized hole was left in my heart that no amount of venue scoping and cocktail sipping could fill.
Thankfully, the PUBLIC team were determined not to let the fun end and announced that the club would be reincarnated, renamed and rebranded, as Dukebox on Fulham Road. From the day the announcement was made, I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself.
After a manic few weeks, I finally got around to arranging a girl date to visit Dukebox on Saturday with fun being the main item on the agenda. We weren’t to be disappointed.
As soon as we arrived, the staff were all dressed in full Halloween costumes, the club had been decked out and the drinks were flowing. The club was somewhat smaller than PUBLIC but offered a much more intimate atmosphere in return.
The venue is a mix of fairground fun and New York warehouse chic. Complete with a magic roundabout podium, carousel house and booths that imitate Waltzer cars. What’s not to love?
With it’s electro beats, live drummer (the place erupted when he appeared) and fun style cocktails, it was clear the spirit of PUBLIC lived on. If you’re going to check it out for yourself, you MUST order an egg and soldier which arrives as a massive egg cup painted with a solider containing a sumptuous cocktail. Be warned, it’s far too easy on the palette.
If you’re looking for a fun glam night out and aren’t pinching the pennies, Dukebox is definitely going to be up your street.
