"The reason I chose this site in Stockwell is mainly for the beer garden – in London especially you just don’t get a beer garden this big!
Star have been so supportive and so helpful with our ideas that we’re working together to create something truly special.”
A 'mammoth' new pub investment for Stockwell
Star Pubs' Investment: £495,000
Anticipated turnover following investment: £795,000+
The Apprentice candidate Priyesh Bathia, who starred in the 2026 series of the primetime BBC TV show, recently realised his vision with the launch of the new Elephant & Barrel pub as part of a flagship Star Pubs investment project. Follow the journey from construction project to bustling beer garden below.
Episode 1: Blueprints & Big Ideas
Episode 2: From Plans to Progress
Episode 3: Pints, People & Payoff
The Elephant & Barrel's Transformation
The Elephant & Barrel
StoryA transformational refurbishment has turned a former Peruvian restaurant into a standout Central London pub with a buzzing atmosphere and some 'mammoth' features!.
The Elephant & Barrel
While the venue was in fair internal condition, the opportunity was clear - it needed something special to bring the footfall in the door. With a significant external beer garden and a prominent location between Stockwell and nearby Brixton, the site was primed to unlock its full potential and create real wow factor for locals, visitors and commuters.
Enter Priyesh Bathia.
Already an experienced hospitality professional, with three other sites under his belt and a mobile cocktail business underway, Priyesh immediately saw the opportunity in the location, scale and outdoor space the site offered.
With 236 covers in total, including nearly 200 outside in a magnificent beer garden, the Elephant & Barrel represented a rare chance to create a true destination pub in London. Working locally with nearby Brixton Brewery, the pub gives Zone 2 commuters the chance to step off the Victoria or Northern line and straight into a new premium local.
Priyesh and his business partners have already demonstrated the strength of the concept: a unique Indian and English fusion venue "where British charm meets Indian hospitality".
At the heart of the pub is a showstopping, Instagrammable, life-sized animatronic elephant (named Stocky!), handmade in Kerala, India - bringing a memorable centrepiece to a pub designed to stand out. The customers love sharing photos of the feature piece, and can even get a friendly squirt of water in the process!
The challenge for the construction project team was the sheer size of the building - the basement needed some serious attention to create much-needed additional cellar space and new customer toilets. The decoration was the icing on the cake, with beautiful rich tiling, dark mahogany-stained wood panelling, and upgraded beer garden furniture. Alongside the added pressure of completing the project in time for the summer season of football, the team pulled out all the stops to get the site open in time, with just days to spare!
