Battersea: Abandoned pub set to get new lease of life

Tarell McIntosh, known as Chef Tee, hopes to bring the abandoned Queens Arms back to life

Plans are under way to give a 180-year-old pub in south west London a new lease of life with help from residents.

Tarell McIntosh wants to transform The Queens Arms, in Battersea, which has been abandoned since the pandemic, into a social enterprise.

The pub opened for a few months in 2020 after being disused for three years.

Mr McIntosh, who grew up in care, plans to employ care-leavers, serve up Caribbean dishes and provide free meals for children.

The community is coming together to help him raise the £20,000 he needs to "start comfortably".

The pub opened briefly in 2020 and lay abandoned for three years prior

The 29-year-old, known as Chef Tee, grew up in care in Wandsworth and says he found his way through becoming a chef, previously running the popular Paradise Cove restaurant in Clapham.

He said: "For me it's about making a difference as there aren't many options for care leavers, I want to do something for people who never had a chance.

"Everything we make we intend to eject into the community in different ways."

He says part of his giving back to the community will involve setting up a soup kitchen and cooking workshops in the pub.

Resident Gail Collingwood hopes for a different approach for it to remain open

So far, he says has sponsors for a meat supplier, equipment, vegetables and a dry store, and has raised more than £10,000.

He says he has also managed to secure an offer with the landlord in which whatever is raised through crowdfunding will be matched with equal free rent. If he gets six month's worth raised, he will get another six months free.

Mr McIntosh added: "For me, this means a huge amount of community trust, people are giving their hard earned time and money into myself and the Paradise Cove restaurant to bring this place back to life.

"For me, it's a second chance and it demonstrates what we can do as a community."

Mr McIntosh, known as Chef Tee, has agreed an offer with the landlord if he can raise enough money

Resident of 10 years Gail Collingwood said: "It's gone bust a few times so we really hope it will be a completely different approach to how things were done.

"If there's a chance for the community to take part and be supportive that would be wonderful."

Another, Ruth Dupre, added: "To serve food and have that kind of community spirit is exactly what the area needs.

"It is a really difficult time and you need someone with passion, energy, foresight and ideas, Tee has got all of those."

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