Tesco launches pop-up pub with prices from 50p — and cocktails at £6

upermarket chain Tesco is getting into the pub game — albeit extremely briefly.

Ahead of the coronation, the grocery giant has temporarily taken over the Castle on Cowcross Street in Farringdon, rebranding it as The King in the Castle. It is open from today, May 4, and tomorrow.

While pints are being served at the pub’s usual prices, the supermarket is offering bargains on both cocktails and a number of dishes. Cocktails, which will include a disturbingly grey King in the Castle gin Martini and a raspberry and peach trifle bellini, will be £6. Food, meanwhile, will start at 50p —for what they call “sweet treats” — rising to £1 for “nibbles”, with bigger dishes coming in at about the £8 mark.

On the menu during the day will be the likes of a Royal High Tea — complete with a tea-inspired cocktail served in a tea pot — alongside cakes, scones, and sandwiches. In the evening, more substantial dishes will be laid on, including a Camilla’s king prawn curry, a king prawn cocktail, and a “Prince’s Crust” pie, which is plant-based.

The pie’s name is a riff on the Prince’s Trust, the youth charity set up in the Seventies by the King when he was still the Prince of Wales. The trust is the charity partner of the supermarket group, and Tesco say they will donate all proceeds from the pub to it. Additionally, Tesco is donating £250,000 to the Prince’s Trust from the sales of its coronation-themed food sold in store.

Alessandra Bellini, Tesco chief customer officer said of the pop-up: “The coronation is a historic moment and we want to help our customers celebrate it. As one of the most enduring parts of British culture, pubs have traditionally been an important part of local communities and so a pub felt like the perfect way to bring people together to mark this special occasion and enjoy delicious food.”

The King in the Castle is open at 34-35 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6BD from noon till 11pm

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