Detour Pit Stop #33: Duke of London
Duke of London
Duke of London is much more than just a fancy car dealership. It’s a hub for enthusiasts that’s become a huge part of its Brentford, West London community.
The cars in the showroom and being service or restored may be flashy, but founder Merlin McCormack is very down to earth, and the place couldn’t be more welcoming. You don’t need a six-figure budget to get through the doors, but if you drop by for the monthly charity Classics & Cake meet then do bring enough to buy a snack and support a good cause.
If you’re still hungry then you could pop into the Santa Maria Pizzeria or the Brewery Tap pub, both of which are on site, owned by the McCormack family and literally fuel the local community. Merlin’s dad Lance runs The Romance of Rust, restoring incredible classics from seemingly impossible states of disrepair.
During the socially-distanced summer of 2020 Duke held a series of drive-in cinema evenings, bringing iconic car movies to the Brentford massive.
Detour has been to Duke several times, enjoyed the cakes, lusted after the classics and almost taken out a bank loan for some of the eclectic machines on sale. It’s well worth a visit.
Duke of London