London Pubs Given Listed Building Status

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 103 months ago
London Pubs Given Listed Building Status
The Golden Heart, in Spitalfields, built in 1936, has been Grade II listed. It still has the rare “Truman’s” neon lighted sign. © Historic England

29 pubs close in London each week. The buildings are used for other purposes or demolished altogether. Today, six London pubs have been given listed building status, protecting them from any such development.

The six London pubs, from Brixton to Hoxton (see gallery below for details), were listed at Grade II, meaning they are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them. All but one were built by Truman's Brewery.

Historic England (previously English Heritage) researched inter-war pubs across the country — those built between 1918 and 1939 — for this project, resulting in 21 pubs being listed. In the inter-war years, breweries rebuilt around 5,000 pubs across the country in a bid to expand their clientele, and make them popular with women and families, as well as men. Few of these pubs remain today.

Heritage Minister Tracey Crouch said: "These inter-war pubs are more than a slice of living history, they play an intrinsic role in English culture and our local communities. I'm delighted that these pubs and their fascinating history have been protected for generations to enjoy for years to come."

The Carlton Tavern in Kilburn, which made the news recently when it was demolished without permission, was earmarked for listing as part of this project. The developers have been ordered to rebuild the 1920s pub brick by brick.

For the next stage, Historic England is looking for information about pubs built between 1945 and 1985.

Looking for a boozer near you? Our London pub guide has them organised by area, and you can search for certain facilities. We've tried all of the included pubs ourselves, so we know they're decent.

See also:

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The Royal Oak in Hoxton overooks Columbia Road Flower Market. It's an “early pub” because it serves market traders from 9am on Sundays. It also played a starring role in British gangster film ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’. © Historic England/Derek Kendall
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The Daylight Inn, Bromley. This pub was named for nearby resident William Willett, who campaigned tirelessly for daylight saving. At one point it was the only pub in the district, so became an important meeting place. © Historic England
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Inside the Rose and Crown in Stoke Newington. © Historic England/Derek Kendall
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Inside the Stag's Head, Hoxton. © Historic England/Derek Kendall
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The Duke of Edinburgh, Brixton. © Historic England/Derek Kendall

Last Updated 28 August 2015