All photos by Bryan Dearsley / LuxuryUK
Football fan or not, there’s something about Apple TV’s hit show about a fish-out-of-water American sports coach that resonates deeply with people. And I’m one of them. No big fan of football (American or otherwise), I was, however, deeply invested in the ups and downs of AFC Richmond, the fictional team that the equally fictional Ted Lasso (played brilliantly by guy-you-want-as-a-friend, Jason Sudeikis) was brought to England to whip into shape.
And having spent a day exploring the real Richmond Upon Thames, I came to the realization that this historic city on the outskirts of London is, in so many ways, the real star of the show.
An easy train ride from London, Richmond (as it’s usually shortened to) is not only chock full of history, but also remarkably scenic, boasting views over the River Thames that are so good they’re protected by an act of Parliament. Were he real, yes, Ted himself would definitely enjoy them, too.
Ted Lasso’s Richmond Upon Thames… and Beyond
Ted Lasso’s smashing success has certainly helped put Richmond Upon Thames on the map. Located in southwest London, fans of the show from both the United States and the UK turn up to see Paved Court, where Ted’s flat exterior was filmed. They want to hoist a pint at The Prince’s Head, the 18th-century pub dressed up for the show as the Crown and Anchor. They even want to dress like Ted, dropping cash at places like the Official Ted Lasso Store or Reale Camiceria Italian Embroidery for an AFC Richmond hoody or hat.
Several local guides now run dedicated Ted Lasso walking tours through the town’s streets, and the official tourist board, Visit Richmond, has put together its own Ted Lasso Route.
But there is, of course, so much more to see in Richmond than just the places Ted visited. The town has been the seat of royal palaces, the favourite retreat of Elizabeth I, the subject of paintings by Turner and prose by Virginia Woolf, and is home to the largest royal park in London.
So, whether you’re here because of Ted, the history, or the food scene (or maybe all of these, as I was), here are some of the things you’ll want to check out in Richmond Upon Thames.
Things To Do in Richmond Upon Thames
Paved Court, Ted Lasso’s Front Door, and the Ted Lasso Shop
Ok, let’s get the Ted Lasso stuff out of the way first. Paved Court is a short, pedestrianized cobbled lane that runs off Richmond Green, lined on both sides with independent shops, a few cafés, and the kind of frontage that has changed little in the last hundred years. It’s also where Ted lives.
The black door belonging to his fictional flat carries the number 9½, painted on for filming. The actual address, though, is 11a, and the residents would prefer you didn’t knock (just fake it, as I did). Though the interior scenes were filmed at the West London Film Studios in Hayes, several miles away, there’s always a steady trickle of visitors waiting for a selfie in front of the door.
Walking the length of Paved Court doesn’t take long; unless, that is, you stop to shop. And stop (and shop) you must, especially at number 4. Home to the Official Ted Lasso Store, opened in 2024 and the first (and only) licensed Ted Lasso retail outlet in the UK.
Set across two floors are jerseys, hoodies, scarves, and hats emblazoned with the AFC Richmond logo, as well as souvenirs urging you to “Believe,” just like Ted did.
The Prince’s Head (aka, The Crown and Anchor)
A few steps from the Ted Lasso store is the fictional coach’s pub of choice: The Prince’s Head (or if you’re Ted, The Crown and Anchor). Though only used for exterior shots, you can grab a chair and nurse a pint just as AFC Richmond fans were shown to do.
More than 300 years old, this first-rate watering hole overlooks Richmond’s famous Green, so getting a window seat is a must if you can nab one. Given that so many fans assume they’re actually sitting where Ted sat, a steady flow of Lasso fans means the place is usually busy from opening time onward.
Richmond Green and the Old Palace
Directly opposite The Prince’s Head, Richmond Green consists of 12 acres of common land that, in 1501, was the front lawn of one of the most important royal palaces in England. Richmond Palace stood on the site between the Green and the River Thames until the 17th century, when it was sold off and demolished after the execution of Charles I.
What survives today is the Tudor gatehouse, still bearing King Henry VII’s coat of arms above the arch, the brick range of the Wardrobe building, and a row of Georgian houses called Maids of Honour Row built in 1724-25 along the spot where the palace’s eastern range once faced the Green.
The list of Royals from history who are connected to the palace is certainly extensive. Built by Henry VII, Henry VIII spent his first Christmas as king here with Catherine of Aragon; Anne of Cleves was given it as part of her divorce settlement; and Mary I honeymooned here with Philip of Spain in 1554.
Queen Elizabeth I, who used Richmond as her winter residence because it was the least draughty palace, died there in 1603, ending the Tudor dynasty in a room that overlooked the same patch of grass on which cricket is now played.
The Green itself has also been used for jousting tournaments and market trading since the fifteenth century.
You can see a detailed scale model of the palace as it would have looked in 1562 at the Museum of Richmond in the Old Town Hall, just a short walk away. You can also walk through the surviving gatehouse into Old Palace Yard and see the Tudor brickwork up close.
Richmond Riverside
A two-minute walk south from Richmond Green brings you down to the mighty Thames and Richmond Riverside. Richmond Bridge, completed in 1777, is the oldest surviving Thames bridge in London and is a Grade I listed structure and was widened in the 1930s, with the original stones reused on the upstream face. It remains one of the most attractive river views in London, especially when the rowing crews take to the water.
As you look at the bridge, you’ll notice a row of boathouses. Known as the Richmond Bridge Boathouses, one of them is used by Master Boatbuilder Mark Edwards MBE. Edwards is something of a local celebrity for his traditional Thames boatbuilding skills and has constructed everything from skiffs to punts and cutters using the same techniques perfected along this stretch of river two centuries ago.
He also famously built Gloriana, the 94-foot Royal Rowbarge that led the 1,000-vessel Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in 2012. More recently, he built the wooden eights used in the George Clooney film, The Boys in the Boat. If you’re lucky like me, you may even catch Edwards having a wee break for a chat.
Don’t neglect the upper terraces of Richmond Riverside. A few yards from the bridge near the entrance to Heron Court is a life-sized bronze statue of Virginia Woolf. Seated on a bench, book in hand while looking out at the river, the sculpture is positioned about half a mile from Hogarth House, where Woolf and her husband ran the Hogarth Press from 1915 onward.
Riverside Food and Drink Experiences
Richmond Riverside is also where those in the know go to drink and dine (yes, even Ted did). The White Cross, a Grade II listed Young’s pub on the aptly named Water Lane, has been pouring pints to watermen and walkers since the early 1800s. Known locally as “the pub that floods”, high spring tides see the Thames rise up as high as the pub’s front steps… and occasionally over them, providing a whole other pub experience.
Scott’s Richmond, the second outpost of the Mayfair fish restaurant founded as an oyster warehouse in 1851, is the most ambitious dining destination on this stretch of the river.
Fancy, yes. And very popular with celebrities (I was told that a wrap party for the upcoming season four of Ted Lasso was held here). Scott’s has also earned a reputation for its cocktail classes (more on that at a future date).
A few doors along, Tapas Brindisa Richmond opened in 2022 and is the largest of the group’s London restaurants. If the weather’s great, ask to be seated on the Thames-view terrace. Either way, they’re famous for their Ibérico hams, Spanish wines, and gambas al ajillo.
Richmond Hill’s Famous Thames View
With all that Ted Lasso stuff and the Green out of the way, make time for the walk from the Green along Hill Street and Hill Rise up to Richmond Hill. From the top of the hill, you’re looking at the only view in England that’s protected by an Act of Parliament, passed in 1902 to prevent any building from interrupting the panorama down to the river.
And it really is quite magical. Not only is it the very same view that inspired the founders of Richmond, Virginia, to name their capital after, but Turner painted it repeatedly, and Sir Walter Scott wrote about it.
The terrace at the top is bordered by hotels and pubs that have all traded on the same prospect for two centuries, including The Petersham, The Bingham, and the Richmond Hill Hotel.
Remember The Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory has been making the Remembrance poppies and wreaths laid each November at the Cenotaph, Westminster Abbey, and on royal and regimental graves across the country since 1922. Established to give disabled veterans a livelihood after WW1, the workforce grew so quickly that, in 1926, the enterprise moved to a disused brewery on Petersham Road. It has been here ever since, and this year it celebrates its 100th birthday in Richmond.
The work continues by hand, and each year thousands of wreaths are produced for the Royal Family, regimental associations, schools, and churches. A visit is well worthwhile and includes a presentation about the history of the factory, a look at artifacts on display, a glimpse of the factory floor, and a café that serves homemade cakes, tea, and coffee. There’s even an opportunity to make your own poppy.
Visits should be booked in advance through the charity’s website at www.poppyfactory.org/visit/.
Tips and Tactics
Here’s how to get the most out of your Richmond Upon Thames, London, experience… both the Ted bits, and the real bits:
- Richmond is easy to walk around, and the main filming locations on Paved Court and Richmond Green, as well as the store, can be covered in a comfortable morning.
- If you’re a serious fan of the show, guided walking tours are available through The Original Ted Lasso Tour, starting from Richmond Station and running for around two and a half hours.
- The Prince’s Head takes reservations for its dining area and its popular Sunday roasts. Visit princeshead.co.uk.
- The Ted Lasso Store opens at 10 am daily. Online shopping is available at tedlassostorerichmond.com
- Allow at least a full day if you want to add Richmond Hill and other attractions to the itinerary. Better still, a weekend gives you time to factor in Kew Gardens, 15 minutes’ walk north of Richmond Green. Check out our article about the best hotels in Richmond for ideas and inspiration.
- Hampton Court Palace is just four miles upstream and reachable by riverboat in summer.
- Oh yeah… Season 4 of Ted Lasso airs on Apple TV+ in summer 2026, and Richmond is likely to be busier than usual through the back end of the year. Visit out of season if you can.
- For more ideas and info about Richmond Upon Thames, visit the official tourist site at www.visitrichmond.co.uk.
How to Get To Richmond Upon Thames
Richmond Station is in Travelcard Zone 4 and is served by London Underground’s District line, London Overground’s Mildmay line, and South Western Railway services from London Waterloo. From Waterloo, fast trains take around 18 to 20 minutes; the District line from central London takes around 35 to 40 minutes, depending on your starting point. Oyster and contactless payment work across all three operators.
From Heathrow Airport, around 9 miles to the west, the easiest options are a taxi (around 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic) or the Elizabeth line to Hayes & Harlington with a change. There is no direct train link. Allow around an hour by public transport.
The town centre, Richmond Green, Paved Court and the Prince’s Head are all within five to ten minutes’ walk of the station. Richmond Park’s main pedestrian gate at Petersham is around twenty minutes on foot, or a short ride on bus 65 or 371 from outside the station.
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Travel and lifestyles writer Bryan Dearsley is Editor of LuxuryUK, a leading source of news and reviews relating to luxury lifestyles and travel in the United Kingdom.
