The Pub Show meets the General Manager of the newly opened Trafalgar pub on Chelsea's iconic Kings Road to learn more about bringing this ambitious project to life for the local community. 

When a Grade II-listed former bank on the King’s Road begins its second life as the first new public house on the street in more than a century, the transformation is bound to attract attention.  

Three Cheers Pub Co. has opened The Trafalgar Public House, their tenth and most ambitious venue: a £2.4 million project that blends heritage with modern hospitality and a strong cultural programme. 

Set within Cadogan’s Gaumont redevelopment, the pub forms part of a broader scheme to bring new energy, arts and community spaces to Chelsea. For General Manager Ethan Glackin-Mccolgan, who has been with the company for almost 14 years, the opening marks the culmination of careful planning, local engagement and a commitment to traditional pub values. 

A pub company built on autonomy and community 

Three Cheers Pub Co. has always expanded slowly and deliberately. Ethan describes the business not as a chain, but as “a collection of pubs”, each distinct and rooted in its neighbourhood. 

“We started just over 20 years ago with The Abbeville in Abbeville Village, Clapham, and we have grown organically from there,” he says. “There is a common thread of good food and good drinks. We are proud of our burgers, our fish and chips and our pies.” 

What defines the group is its trust in its teams. “We are a bit of an old-fashioned pub group in that there is a lot of autonomy. The owners run the business, but they hand it over to us and we get autonomy. We can choose beers and drinks. We are very hands on with the food menus and head chefs, so each pub is slightly different.” 

From the family friendly Rosendale to the nightlife driven Bedford in Balham, every Three Cheers pub has its own character. The Trafalgar extends that philosophy to Chelsea. 

Why The Trafalgar and why this site 

Three Cheers had long hoped to establish a presence near the King’s Road. The repurposing of the former NatWest building created the ideal moment to do so. 

“It was organic growth. We were waiting for the right project,” Ethan explains. “We came, viewed the place, did the numbers and had great support from them [Cadogan]. We had to pitch and they chose us. It was very competitive. We were up against some bigger fish in the pond, but they chose us.” 

The approach at The Trafalgar is summed up by what Ethan calls “pints and performances” a commitment to food, drink and culture under one roof. 

“Pubs are closing at an alarming rate. People’s habits are changing, they are not drinking or eating out as much, so it is about finding different reasons for people to come. It is about making it an experience and a destination and then the rest often happens naturally.” 

The Trafalgar has quickly become a gathering point for local groups, classes and informal meetings. “People come here for a book club, an NCT class, an NHS conference or a work away day. Then when they want to celebrate or go out, they think, ‘I have been to The Trafalgar, let’s book there.’” 

For Ethan, this is the essence of a pub. “I come from Ireland and pubs really are the heart of the community. It is where you go when you are sad, happy and everything in between.” 

Bringing a historic bank back to life 

The building, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1907, served as a bank for more than a century. When Three Cheers arrived, they found a shell waiting to be reinvented. 

“We came in to four brick walls upstairs,” Ethan says. “It was quite a blank canvas. There were no services. We had to put all the plumbing in, with big pumps to get everything out. We’ve built a brand-new kitchen from scratch. There is no gas; it’s our first electric kitchen.” 

Upgrading a listed structure to modern standards required careful planning. “You have to conform to 2025 building regulations. A lot of pubs are a disaster zone at the back of house. Now it is all, ‘You can’t put that there,’ and ‘Your doors have to be compliant.’ We had to put in a lift because you have to have accessibility in a public space.” 

The renovation reached a dramatic turning point when the hoarding came down. “People wandered in saying, ‘I was banking here in living memory. This is amazing.’” 

Upstairs, the original plasterwork, Georgian windows and five metre ceilings create a striking dining room with a handsome bar, leather seating and warm lighting. 

Downstairs, an antique mirrored ceiling, adaptable lighting, a hidden bar and a first-class sound system support live music, private parties and cabaret nights including weekly events from Always Be Comedy. 

Interpreting the Trafalgar name and the building’s past 

The Trafalgar name came with the lease, but the team embraced both the naval reference and the building’s banking heritage. 

“This room is called the Havana Room,” Ethan explains of the downstairs space. “That comes from HMS Havana, a 36-gun frigate. The third Earl Cadogan commanded that ship and won a very significant battle under Lord Nelson that helped stop Napoleon.” 

Upstairs, the design celebrates the bank’s architecture. “We were blessed with the beautiful plasterwork on the walls. We are leaning into the banking side by calling it the old bank drinking hall and dining hall.” 

Close to Chelsea Old Town Hall, the pub has quickly become a wedding day waypoint. “There are weddings every half an hour. We have had wedding groups in here watching a livestream, popping over for photos, and then coming back afterwards for drinks.” 

The menu and what Chelsea is ordering 

The Trafalgar’s food offer blends the group’s signature classics with dishes suited to the area. 

“We have kept our classic dishes: burgers, fish and chips, calamari,” Ethan says. “We have also got some elevated dishes, like a lovely pork tenderloin and a lovely stone bass. We do not want to go into the realm of fine dining. We want great food, lovely service and customers with smiles.” 

A set lunch menu caters to local dining patterns, while the bar food menu celebrates traditional pub snacks. “Toasties fly out. People get a pint of Guinness, a glass of wine and a toastie, and off they go.” 

Wine has become a central feature. “I have just come from The Bedford which is 80 per cent beer. Now we are shifting so much wine here. After a few days of trading we changed things and added extra wines by the glass.” 

The rise of low and no alcohol continues to shape the offer. “I never thought I would be so involved in it. People come in asking for that menu. No alcohol Guinness flies out. The standard is really there now compared to ten years ago.  

The scale of interest in working at The Trafalgar surprised even a hospitality veteran. 

“We had over 400 people apply. Two of us interviewed 100 candidates at a recruitment day,” Ethan says. “We have been able to hire people who live in the local area or reasonably close.” 

The wider industry picture is more complex. “When I started you always had Kiwis, Australians, Irish, Italian, Spanish. It was full of Europeans. That has completely changed. People’s working habits have changed too. People say, ‘I do not want to work any double shifts,’ and you have to adapt or you will end up with no staff.” 

A landmark reopened for the next hundred years 

The Trafalgar Chelsea now stands as a centrepiece of The Gaumont redevelopment, bringing together dining, entertainment and heritage in a way that feels both new and deeply rooted in the King’s Road’s character. 

For Ethan, the project has been a privilege. “It has been amazing. It is the first pub to be built and opened here in 100 years on the King’s Road. To be part of it from the beginning, seeing it go from plans to walls going up and it all coming together, has been incredible.” 

The King’s Road has always reinvented itself. With The Trafalgar, it now has a pub worthy of its history and its future. 

Find out more about The Trafalgar at thetrafalgarchelsea.com.