WhatPub? Update publishes news items collated by Greater London branches, often from information supplied through the ‘Submit Update’ button on WhatPub. We aim to report all openings and closures of places that satisfy the CAMRA definition of a pub (including those selling draught but not real ale); all pubs that add or remove real ale; and changes of name, ownership or beer policy. Readers are encouraged to visit WhatPub? for pub details, and to ‘Submit Update’ when they find incomplete or out-of-date information.
| NEW & REOPENED PUBS & CLUBS – INCLUDING THOSE CONVERTED TO REAL ALE |
INNER LONDON
EC2, ALL BAR ONE (M&B), 18-20 Appold St. Reopened as cocktail bar 1 BAR in November with 5 keg beers.
EC3, WINE LODGE, 143 Fenchurch St. Reopening as the second NANCY SPAINS Irish pub on 18 November.
EC4, F1 ARCADE, 1 New Change. Modern bar on the first floor of the New Change redevelopment. Dedicated to F1 racing – either watching the races or playing on the racing machines. Booking for either is essential. Keg beer.
EC4, FARRINGDON TAP (Bloomsbury Leisure), 41 Farringdon St. Real ale, e.g. Theakston XB, reinstated but may be intermittent.
WC1, LONDON PUB (The Imperial London Hotels Ltd), Royal National Hotel, Woburn Pl. Real ale reinstated: Fuller’s London Pride. Card payments only.
WC2, CHESHIRE CHEESE (Shepherd Neame), 5 Little Essex St. Reopened mid-October and real ale reinstated: Shepherd Neame Master Brew, Whitstable Bay Pale Ale and two changing beers also from Sheps. Operated by Wellman Taverns who run a number of Sheps pubs and reported open seven days a week.
WC2, LE BEAUJOLAIS, 25 Litchfield St. Very close to Charing Cross Road, this is one of the most famous wine bars in central London, and now meets CAMRAs definition of a pub. The venue is authentically French with the ground-floor bar providing drinks and food, while downstairs is a members-only restaurant. The wines, beers and other drinks, and food offered are, of course, all French as are the staff. Regulars ‘clock in’ via a wall blackboard with sliding in/out tabs against their names. A limited number of tables may be booked for lunch in the ground-floor bar but half are reserved for walk-ins. No bookings are taken here for the evening. Well worth a visit to soak in the atmosphere; and of course the food and drink.
WC2, ROADHOUSE, 35 Jubilee Market, The Piazza. An amalgamation of 1A Tavistock Street and 35 The Piazza to form a 500-capacity underground restaurant and late night entertainment, live music and performance venue named STEREO. Drinks include various draught keg beers. ‘A dynamic and eclectic music programme each night – a house band will offer relaxed vibes, before the stage welcomes a rotating series of resident DJs and curated one-off artist performances.’ Some events may require an admission charge. Note restricted opening hours.
WC2, SIMMONS LEICESTER SQUARE, 28A Leicester Sq. Opened in 2021 next to the Moon Under Water pub, a glitzy underground cocktail bar in this very busy tourist area of central London. Keg beers.
E1, COMMERCIAL TAVERN (Urban Pubs & Bars), 142 Commercial St. Real ale reinstated, currently Five Points Best.
E1, KILL THE CAT SPITALFIELD, 14 Market St. Kitchen & bar close to Spitalfields Market. 10 craft beer taps. On line shop and occasional events.
E2, CASA BLUE (Shoreditch Bar Group), 120 Bethnal Green Rd. Closed early in 2024 and reopened as RAIN DOGS BAR late summer. Independent bar with cocktails, keg beer (7 taps include Five Points JUPA, XPA and Railway Porter) and music.
E2, MOLLY’S CAFÉ (The Geffrye Museum), 1 Geffrye St. Reopened.
E5, GLYN ARMS, 1 Mandeville St. Closed for a number of years. Reopened July as AJ’S LOUNGE, a St Lucian style bar. Entry fees may apply after 10pm. Bottled beer
E8, BINCH, 51 Greenwood Rd. Small independent bar, doubling as a bottle shop during the day. Run by a Frenchman – Binch is French slang for beer – it specialises in wine and craft beer (six taps).
E9, TIGER (Stonegate), 245 Wick Rd. After a long closure, reopened as EKO BAR & RESTAURANT, a family-run restaurant and bar with Nigerian food and keg beer.
E14, HOPE & ANCHOR (Wellington), 14 Newby Pl. Now sells a real ale, e.g. St Austell Cornish Best Bitter.
E17, BLACK HORSE BAR & PIZZERIA, 1 Wickford Way. Modern pub in a new development. 11 keg lines mainly from local breweries.
E17, CHEQUERS (Rose Pubs), 145 High St. Real ale reinstated: two changing beers from breweries such as East London.
N1, ALL GOOD BEER, 39 Balls Pond Rd. AGB have opened a shop and taproom in a former off licence or wine bar. Eight keg taps to drink in. This is the second site after Hackney Downs.
N7, NAMBUCCA, 596 Holloway Rd. Live music venue reopened.
N8, HARRINGAY ARMS (Stonegate), 153 Crouch Hill. Reopened and run by the same people as the Queens Arms in Winchmore Hill. Harvey’s Sussex and Timothy Taylor Landlord.
N21, DOG & DUCK (Stonegate), 74 Hoppers Rd. Real ale reinstated: Fuller’s London Pride and Timothy Taylor Landlord.
NW1, LOCK INN (Marylebone Leisure), 2 Jamestown Rd. Opened in May on the site of the former Camden Diner. Standard keg beers.
SE1, FOUNTAIN & INK (Urban Pubs & Bars), 52-54 Stamford St. Real ale reinstated: Gun Scaramanga Extra Pale.
SE1, SOUTHWARK TAP, Arch 80, Scoresby St. Opened in 2022 as a wine bar, but now sells multiple draught beers. Live music on Wednesdays and Fridays. No real ale available.
SE8, LITTLE FAITH, Artworks, 3 Creekside. Reopened as part of the FEED THE YAK chain in July. 10 keg beer lines. Card payment only.
SE9, GOOD CHOICE, 168 Bexley Rd. Converted in September from a carpet shop to a small bar in a parade of shops. Advertises as offering craft beers, cocktails and mixers. No cask ales.
SE12, OLD TIGERS HEAD (Heineken), 351 Lee High Rd. Reopened and real ale reinstated: Fuller’s London Pride and St Austell Tribute plus a changing beer such as Butcombe Original. Now with the rear area transformed into an additional bar with performance stage and large drop-down TV projection screen.
SE15, HOLLYDALE TAVERN (Wellington), 115 Hollydale Rd. Reopened in June after five years of closure when part of the pub was converted to residential use. No real ale.
SE27, GIPSY HILL TAPROOM, Unit 5, 160 Hamilton Rd. A changing Gipsy Hill real ale now available and a real cider from Iford has been spotted.
SW4, SAXON, 50 Clapham High St. Following the demise of the East London Pub Company, it came under the same ownership as the Rose & Crown in Clapham (Polygon Pubs) and reopened as the OX, an upmarket gastropub, in October 2024, this time with real ale: Timothy Taylor Landlord.
SW6, RETRO CAFE, 241 Munster Rd. Street-corner cafe-bar, selling six keg beers including three ‘premium’ foreign lagers. Café by day, music bar and diner by night. Live classic rock, blues, rock n roll and soul.
SW7, 1606 BAR (Rembrandt Hotel Ltd), 11 Thurloe Pl. Smart conservatory lounge bar in this 190-room upmarket hotel. Three keg beers/lagers are available but no cask ale.
W1, BOOM BATTLE BAR, 70-88 Oxford St. Part of a growing national chain of ‘experience bar’ venues. Drinks include draught Guinness and various keg beers.
W1, JERUSALEM BAR & KITCHEN (Breakfast Group), 33-34 Rathbone Pl. Reopened as LUCY WONG, a cocktail and dim sum & light Chinese food bar. Basement venue with Costa Coffee above. Keg beers.
W1, LITTLE VIOLET DOOR, 9 Kingly St. Part of the small ‘Little Door’ chain of London cocktail bars. A couple of draught keg beers are available.
W1, MR FOGG’S PAWNBROKERS, 50 Dean St. Next door to the well-known French House pub, this is one of the growing London chain of Mr Fogg’s cocktail bars, opened February 2023. Bottled beer.
W1, NQ64, 53-54 Berwick St. This basement Soho site just south of Oxford Street is part of a growing national chain of gamer-themed bars, offering a mix of retro gaming, free to use for guests buying drinks. Drinks include several gamer-themed cocktails plus a selection of craft beer, wines, spirits and soft drinks. No food.
W1, SIMMONS TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD, 17 Manette St. One of the London-wide Simmons cocktail bar chain opened in 2021. Keg beers.
W8, KENSINGTON WINE ROOMS, 127-129 Kensington Church St. Originally MACAULEY ARMS. Reopened by the team behind Allsopp’s Brewery and renamed BLUE STOOPS in homage to the original Blue Stoops in Burton-upon-Trent, where Allsopp’s brewed from 1730. Allsopp’s Best Bitter, India Pale Ale and Pale Ale available and a guest such as Kirkstall Three Swords. Allsopp’s recommenced brewing in 2020 and the original Allsopp’s IPA now has pride of place here. Allsopp’s has also commissioned the manufacture of beer engines with high ‘swan necks’, allowing the pumping by hand of ale from the cellar up to customers, in a theatrical manner. Ale prices are reported as reasonable for the area. Various brewery memorabilia include a marvellous Allsopp’s mirror on the wall.
OUTER LONDON
BECKENHAM, KELSEY HOUSE, 75 High St. Reopened November.
BEXLEY, NEXT DOOR, 3 Mill Row, Bexley High St. Reopened in October as RUSTY BUCKET by the same operators as the one in Eltham and following very much the offering there with a cosy friendly personal touch. Three handpumps but initially at least two cask ales and 15 keg beer taps plus bottles and cans, spirits, wines and keg cider. Card payment only.
BROMLEY, OAK (Fest & Revel), 206 Widmore Rd. Real ale now available: Timothy Taylor Landlord.
CHESSINGTON, CRICKETERS (Admiral Taverns), 81, Clayton Rd, Hook. Real ale reinstated: two guest beers.
EDEN PARK, BECKENHAM, ELM & EDEN, 404 Upper Elmers End Rd. Opened November 2024, this friendly community micropub is not far from Eden Park station. Cask ale is planned for January 2025 along with food. Keg beer includes Brixton (Heineken) and Iron Pier. In addition, there is wine, gin, spirits, cocktails, prosecco and champagne. No outside drinking owing to licensing restrictions.
HARLINGTON, PHEASANT INN (Tavern Propco), 98 West End La. Real ale reinstated: Sharp’s Doom Bar and Sea Fury available recently.
HAYES, HAYES CRICKET CLUB, The Pavilion, The Green, Wood End. Real ale available: Fuller’s London Pride and Sharp’s Doom Bar. One of the two bars is open to all.
HIGH BARNET, OLD FOLD MANOR GOLF CLUB, Old Fold La. Real ale available, typically Bombardier, London Pride or Wainwright’s, often with a second during the summer and for special events. Opening hours vary according to the time of year.
ICKENHAM, HOME (BAR & KITCHEN) (RedCat), 16 High Rd. Reopened and reverted to FOX & GEESE. Mainly an Italian restaurant promoting Peroni.
MITCHAM, GARDENERS ARMS (Illusive Bars Ltd), 107 London Rd. A changing cask beer from Wimbledon Brewery is now being served.
THORNTON HEATH, ATLANTIC BAR, 61 High St. Reopened as ELGON VIEW, originally WILTON ARMS. Now a sports bar and restaurant, named after a mountain on the Kenya/Uganda border. Much of its historical interest, e.g. the snooker room, no longer features. Only very briefly called the Atlantic Bar in April 2024, before being repossessed by the landlords.
TWICKENHAM, ROYAL OAK (Stonegate), 13 Richmond Rd. Real ale reinstated after Christian Arden and Ben Abrahams (Parker Pubco) took over as tenants: Fuller’s London Pride and Twickenham Naked Ladies.
| PUBS & CLUBS CLOSED, CONVERTED, OR CEASED SELLING REAL ALE |
INNER LONDON
EC1, SINGER TAVERN (Urban Pubs & Bars). No longer sells real ale.
WC2, ROYAL GEORGE (M&B). No real ale, handpumps removed during refurbishment.
WC2, SALVADOR & AMANDA (The Breakfast Group). Closed for site redevelopment.
E1, KILL THE CAT, 43 Brick La. Closed, future uncertain. See above for replacement.
E5, ONCE BEFORE. Closed (premises repossessed by freeholder) and on market for sale or leasehold.
E11, LUNA LOUNGE (Waltham Forest Council). Closed, future uncertain.
E15, ABBEY TAP (Stonegate). No longer sells real ale.
E17, WILD CARD BREWERY BARREL ROOM (City Properties Ltd). Closed, future uncertain.
E17, WILD CARD BREWERY TAPROOM (Waltham Forest Council). Closed, premises reclaimed by freeholder.
N1, ENGLE FIELD (Stonegate). Renamed BRAVE but no longer sells real ale.
N1, KENNEDY’S (Stonegate). Closed, future uncertain.
N13, OCCASIONAL HALF (Redcat). Extensively refurbished October 2024. No longer sells real ale
NW8, LORD HIGH ADMIRAL (Westminster City Council/Stonegate). Closed in September. Planning granted in 2023 to demolish as part of the Church Street redevelopment.
NW11, OOSAN. Reported closed September 2024.
SE1, HIVER BEERS. No longer sells real ale.
SE1, RIVERFRONT BAR (BFI/Benugo). No real ale, handpumps removed.
SE10, OLD JOINERY. Closed, planning application granted for new student housing.
SE10, STAR OF GREENWICH (Friends of the Star of Greenwich Ltd). Closed November, quoting financial unfeasibility to continue operations. Lease on the market.
SE11, MANSION HOUSE. Once again no real ale.
SE16, BASECAMP TAPROOM (Fourpure Brewery), 25 Bermondsey Trading Est, Rotherhithe New Rd. Closed by Fourpure in September 2024 with no specific reason given, but associated brewery closed and its production moved elsewhere.
SW1, TIGER TIGER (A3D2). Famous bar and nightclub closed, to become hotel.
SW9, DOGSTAR (Citibank/Antic). Closed in October; one of the former Antic-operated pubs that had not been taken on by Urban Pubs & Bars or otherwise sold as a going concern. Its future is now uncertain.
SW17, GORRINGE PARK (Wells & Co). Closed, future uncertain. Yummy exited lease in 2023.
SW17, LONG ROOM (McLean Inns). No longer sells real ale.
SW17, TOOTING TRAM & SOCIAL (Citibank/Antic). Closed in October; same situation as DOGSTAR above.
OUTER LONDON
ERITH, ROYAL OAK (Town Centre Inns). No longer sells real ale.
SURBITON, SURBITONIAN VINE. Converted to the ICON coffee and brunch house.
WELLING, ROSE & CROWN (Stonegate). Closed, reason unknown.
| OTHER CHANGES |
INNER LONDON
EC1, DUKE OF WELLINGTON OLD STREET. Renamed MYST CLUB.
EC1, GREEN. Relaunched as a tap room/bottle shop in September 2024. Ten taps and a fridge.
EC4, JUNO ROOMS (Urban Pubs & Bars). Refurbished and reopened as WREN TAVERN in September.
WC2, CLUBHOUSE 5 (Stonegate). Renamed THREE LANTERNS.
WC2, ZOO TOO. Rebranded as MUNSTER TAVERN
E5, CLAPTON HART (Citibank /Antic). Now operated by Urban Pubs & Bars.
E11, RED LION (Citibank/Antic). Now operated by Urban Pubs & Bars.
N1, ANGEL (Urban Pubs & Bars). Renamed PEACOCK after a pub that previously stood on this site
NW1, ALL ABOUT EVE (Stonegate). Renamed CUSHLA BAR. Describes itself as a ‘bar & scullery’ kind of gastro.
NW8, DUKE OF YORK (Stonegate/Old Spot Pub Co). Now part of the small Frontier Pubs chain.
SE1, ELEPHANT & CASTLE (Marigold Spring Ltd/Antic). Transferred from Antic to Urban Pubs & Bars in summer 2024.
SE5, SUN OF CAMBERWELL (Heineken UK/Antic). Transferred from Antic to Urban Pubs & Bars in summer 2024.
SE22, CLOCK HOUSE (Young’s). Now operated by Parched London. Southwark LPA and Five Points XPA have been spotted.
SE22, EAST DULWICH TAVERN (Citibank/Antic). Transferred from Antic to Urban Pubs & Bars in summer 2024.
SW14, JOLLY GARDENERS (Punch). Sold by Punch to The London Pub Group Ltd.
SW17, ANTELOPE (Citibank/Antic). Now operated by Urban Pubs & Bars.
OUTER LONDON
BEXLEYHEATH, MARRIOTT HOTEL. Renamed DELTA HOTELS BEXLEYHEATH.
HARROW, MAYA PUB. Renamed NEWA CHE MAYA, now a Nepalese restaurant with bar.