Bunker, London

New German style brewpub which, despite the name, opened in Covent Garden in late April 1998. It is housed in a basement vault used in recent times as a rehearsal theatre and clothing warehouse but which was originally apparently part of the Wood Yard Brewery, established in 1650. It later became part of Gyffords Brewery specialising during the 19th century in London Porter until it was sold as a fruit warehouse in 1905. The brewhouse is on the ground floor and can be viewed through the windows from the arcade next door. Access to the bar is downstairs where the fermenting vessels and serving tanks are located at the rear. The bar area is clinical in style with a stainless steel bar, mirrors, polished pine floor, a scattering of rather uncomfortable chairs and tables to the side and restaurant area towards the front. The founder, Ewan Eastham of the Freedom Brewery in Fulham, has employed a German brewmaster Albrecht Von Wallmoden to proddèe the beers and the equipment has been imported from Caspary Schultz of Bamberg at a cost of £112 million. Beers are stored in the tanks and dispensed using gas pressure and include Soho Pale (4.5%), Soho Red (4.6%), Soho Wheat (5.0%) and a varying special the first of which is intended to be a porter using the original Gyffords recipe. Freedom Pilsner lager is also on tap. Prices range from £2.80 to £3.10 a pint, with halves being even more expensive pro-rata at between £1.50 and £1.60 a half pint! Open all permitted hours (restaurant until midnight Mon-Sat). Comment: Influenced by the success of German and American brewpubs, along with the Mash Brewery reported last month, it undoubtedly adds variety to the London pub scene. It is however full of contradictions, not least its name. Despite the German brewer and equipment only one continental style product is brewed. The pale and red 'ales' are relatively weak compared with their American brewpub equivalents and hence their flavours have great difficulty surviving the application of extraneous gas - haven't we been here before?

By August 1999 Brewpub acquired by the Freedom Brewing Co. of Fulham, SW6 and renamed Freedom. The beers brewed on site remain as previously listed, with the addition of Freedom Pilsner lager. All still served under gas.

Renamed BUNKER and acquired from Freedom Brewery in October 2003 by the Charlois chain, which has two cocktail bars in Soho. Still no real ale. Retains in-house brewing equipment and new brewer Ian Ward (who also brews at Zebrano) now brews keg Pilsner (4.4%) and Bok (5.4%). Freedom Organic Lager (now believed brewed in Germany) is also available on keg. Refurbished in pseudo-German beer hall style with long benches etc.

Closed June 2009 and brewing equipment due for removal, future use of premises uncertain. Latterly the sole house brew was a version of keg Freedom Pils brewed on site by Ian Ward, brewer at the Freedom brewery now located at Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire. Formerly FREEDOM, originally SOHO BREWING CO, this was the last brewpub in Central London and leaves just three brewpubs in Greater London.

By 2010 had become ‘Kitchen Italia’ restaurant. In 2015 Flesh & Buns, described as "Izakaya pub-style venue with a rock soundtrack, serving steamed buns with meat or seafood fillings"