On 24 August 2022 CAMRA’s London Pubs Group had a tour of Acton and Shepherd’s Bush taking in four very different venues. First was Aeronaut at 264 High Street, Acton. This is a huge 1920s or 1930s former Truman pub which started life as the White Hart and is built in their familiar house style, with a combination of brick and faience tiling used for the exterior (some of which is now painted over). Over the years, it has undergone several name changes in attempts to appeal to niche markets, including spending time as the Redback (a sort of Aussie backpackers’ pub). It gained its present moniker in 2013, an event which coincided with the launch by the Laine Pub Company of an onsite microbrewery. Sadly, this has not survived, and real ale is no longer available in any form.
Nevertheless, the display of London Drinker and general CAMRA literature on the bar holds out the hope that not all is lost. For a long time, several exterior tiled panels bearing the Truman, Hanbury & Buxton name were covered over by modern signs but, thankfully, these are once again exposed for all to see. A serious fire a few years ago seems to have removed much of any original internal features that may have survived. The left-hand room has now been completely opened out but folding wooden screens separate it from the right-hand room, which is now called ‘the Circus’ (though the décor is more akin to a funfair) and seems to be a former function room, built to adjoin the side of the pub proper. Keg beers available include ones from Beavertown, Brixton, Laines and Siren.
Moving on, the group passed the shuttered Six Bells pub. The Six Bells is a former Isleworth Brewery (later Watney) pub of 1887 which seems to have served its last pint in September 2020. Of note is the ‘IBC’ monogram which is still displayed at first floor level. Also noted was the extant but much diminished former Kings Head. Once one of Fuller’s more up-market venues, it now lingers on as the Kings Head Hotel & Pub, a private enterprise with a bar attached, selling keg beers supplied by Fuller’s.
A happier prospect was the George & Dragon at 183 High Street, Acton. This pub is Grade II listed and is recognised by CAMRA as having a historic pub interior of local importance. The pub dates from two distinct periods: the left-hand side is 18th century with three storeys, sashed windows and painted brick while the right-hand side is 17th century with a timber frame, two storeys and a carriage entrance. The oldest pub in Acton, the interior is composed of three main areas. In the front bar a traditional counter servery was provided until quite recently, but this space is now used for seating and live music. Further on in is the characterful ‘heritage bar’, which has panelling and other woodwork and a stone fireplace, all probably from the 17th century. At the rear lies a modern large island servery, beyond which are large disused copper and chrome brewing vessels.
This is another example of recent local brewing that has sadly not stood the test of time. A former coaching inn, it was under Courage ownership for many years but now forms part of the Remarkable Pubs chain. This group now sources its ales from Shepherd Neame and so it is no surprise that Spitfire and Whitstable Bay are normally served here, though we found only the latter available during our visit.
By way of a change to our normal venues, our next stop was the West London Trades Union Club, 33/35 High Street. The club has a plain and simple interior with trade union memorabilia on the walls, along with posters advertising plays that take place in the theatre upstairs. In many ways it felt like a throwback to the 1970s or even 1960s. It was included on the tour as part of the London Pubs Group’s initiative to occasionally visit clubs. The club appears in the 2022 Good Beer Guide (GBG). Two changing real ales from Nelson Brewery. Real cider had been discontinued. Although a private club, non-members may be admitted on production of a CAMRA membership card or a copy of the latest GBG.
A bus ride took us to the final venue, the Queen Adelaide at 412 Uxbridge Road (W12 0NR). This former Charrington pub was built c1900 in an Edwardian ‘Jacobethan’ style with three storeys and a corner turret. The exterior sports an attractive brick frieze, tiling and upper bay windows. Inside there are two large bar areas, one of which is top-lit. The bar to the west has two walls panelled in an Arts & Crafts version of linenfold and a wood-lined niche containing the fire surround.
This surround is wooden and contains a bevelled mirror on the overmantel flanked by Voysey-esque detailing and flanked by Tuscan Doric columns. In the adjacent bar there is a similar fireplace recess framed by round wooden columns resting on pedestals, with Ionic capitals. Unsurprisingly, like many late-Victorian pubs, the interior has been massively rationalised over the decades and now has an open kitchen and dining area on one side. Also to be seen is a portrait of the eponymous monarch, Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (1792 to 1849), who was married to William IV and was Queen of the United Kingdom and of Hanover from 1830 to 1837. Given its proximity to Loftus Road, the pub is naturally very busy when QPR are at home. Greene King Abbot and IPA are normally served here, though only the latter was on when we arrived. This was soon found to be at ‘the end of the barrel’ but a staff member happily connected a new one and pulled it through while we waited, despite our relatively late arrival.
As said at the start, four very different venues but all still contributing something to the London pub scene.
Kim Rennie and Jane Jephcot