September 2024 news

Here's an update on the latest news and information from West London branch of CAMRA.

Branch events

Why not join us on one of our branch socials or meetings? We'd love to see you! Here is a list of our events:

• September
  • Tues 17 (7/730pm) branch mtg: Antelope (upstairs), Eaton Terrace, SW1W 8EZ. This meeting will kick off discussion about our 2026 Good Beer Guide entries.

  • Mon 23 (2pm) Hammersmith social: meet Blue Boat, Parrs Way, W6 9RU

• October

  • Fri 4 (2pm) Social: Temple Brew House, 46 Essex Street, WC2R 3JF

  • Tues 22 (2pm) St James’s Social; meet Two Chairmen, Dartmouth St. SW1H 9BP

• November
  • Tues 5 (7pm) Kensington social: meet Elephant and Castle, Holland St. W8 4LT
  • Mon 18 (2pm) Soho social: meet Shaston Arms, Ganton St. W1F 7QN
  • Wed 20 (7/7.30pm): branch meeting: Speaker (upstairs) 46 Great Peter St SW1P 2HA. (CAMRA discount).

Regional CAMRA news and events

• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/events. Upcoming events: .
• Our neighbouring branches have regular socials and other events - for information see the websites of East London and City, North London, South East London, South West London, and West Middlesex. See the London CAMRA website for links to other Greater London branches.
• The August/September issue of London Drinker is now available in pubs across London and online at https://londondrinker.camra.org.uk/wordpress/ with details of CAMRA and beer related events across London, pub and brewery news, and more.

Pub and brewery news

• NW8, CLIFTON, 96 Clifton Hill, NW8 0JT.This is part of the Loci Pubs chain.
• NW8, LORD HIGH ADMIRAL (Stonegate/Craft Union), 95 Church Street, NW8 8EY. Reverted to tenanted.
• SW1, BELGRAVIA (Grosvenor Estate), 152 Ebury Street, SW1W 9JL. Renamed HOUSE BELGRAVIA. No longer sells real ale.
• SW1, COLONIES (Greene King), 25 Wilfred Street, SW1E 6PR. Reverted to PINEAPPLE.
• SW1, LANE7, Zig Zag Building, 70 Victoria Street, SW1E 6SQ. A large site in a corner of the giant Zig Zag Building in busy Victoria Street, this venue describes itself as a "bowling and activity bar" but also including mini golf, shuffleboard, beer pong, augmented darts, and an adults-only games arcade hall downstairs. The venue is part of a national chain with one outpost abroad in Berlin. Various draught keg beers are available plus Patty & Bun burgers. The bar is along the back wall and it's perfectly possible to just have a drink if you want one.
• SW1, M BAR VICTORIA ST (Land Securities), Unit 3, Zig Zag Building, 70 Victoria Street, SW1E 6SQ. Reopened as BAM KARAOKE BOX. Part of an international chain providing "drinks plus entertainment" this is a venue with a ground-floor bar plus an outside terrace. Down below in the BAM BAM Bar there is food, drink and live music before or after experiencing one of the 22 private karaoke rooms. Various keg and bottled beers are available, plus a limited but interesting food menu. BAM is an abbreviation of "boite a musique" or music box in English; as of course you knew.
• SW1, SPORTS BAR & GRILL VICTORIA (Network Rail/Stonegate), Unit 59 1st floor Victoria Main Line Station Terminus Place, SW1V 1JU. Closed future uncertain
• SW3, SURPRISE (Cadogan/JEG Inns), 6 Christchurch Terrace, SW3 4AJ. Now operated by Wren pubs.
• SW6, GEORGE & DRAGON, 47 Lillie Road, SW6 1UD (inside Ibis Hotel). Renamed BARNABY'S LOUNGE & BAR.
• SW6, WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 2-6 Fulham Broadway, SW6 1AA. Closed June 2024.
• W1, BONDS (Stonegate/The Chapter Collection), 11 Dering Street, W1S 1AR. No longer accepts CAMRA vouchers.
• W1, FINERY (Greene King), 23 Great Castle Street, W1G 0JA. Renamed NEW EXPLORER.
• W1, HANKIES AT PICCADILLY WEST END HOTEL (Shaftesbury), 67 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6EX. Renamed HANKIES AT MONTCALM PICCADILLY TOWNHOUSE.
• W1, LOOP (Stonegate), 19 Dering Street, W1S 1AH. Closed, future uncertain.
• W2, LEINSTER ARMS (Stonegate), 17 Leinster Terrace, W2 3EU. Does not accept CAMRA vouchers.
• W6, CARPENTER'S ARMS (Stonegate), 91 Black Lion Lane, W6 9BG. In summer 2024 the pub was taken over by Wren Pubs as operator, also operating the Surprise in Chelsea and Walmer Castle in Notting Hill.
• W6, SWAN (M&B/Nicholson's), 46 Hammersmith Broadway, W6 0DZ. Recognised by CAMRA as a one star historic pub interior.
• W8, HANSOM CAB, 86 Earls Court Road, W8 6EG. An unspecified real cider is available.
• W11, DISTILLERY (UK Investments Ltd/Good Harbour Ltd), 186 Portobello Road, W11 1LA. Noted as closed and repossessed by landlord.
• W11, WALMER CASTLE (M&B/independent), 58 Ledbury Road, W11 2AJ. The operator is Wren Pubs which also runs the Surprise in Chelsea and Carpenter's Arms in Hammersmith.
• W14, HAND & FLOWER (Fuller's), 1 Hammersmith Road, W14 8XJ. Closed temporarily, for three-month refurb.
• WC2, ADMIRALTY (Fuller's), 66 Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS. CAMRA discount reduced to 10%.
• WC2, CHESHIRE CHEESE (Shepherd Neame/Blighty Pub Company), 5 Little Essex Street, WC2R 3LD. Reported closed. Notices in the windows saying 'closed for a refurb under new management'.
• WC2, CLUBHOUSE 5 (Stonegate), 5 Lisle Street, WC2H 7BG. No longer sells real ale.
• WC2, MARQUIS (Shaftesbury/Morton-Scott Pub Company), 52 Chandos Place, WC2N 4HS. Morton-Scott Pub Company have bought the freehold.
• WC2, ROYAL GEORGE (M&B/Castle), 133 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0EA. Closed temporarily, reopening on 19th September 2024.

• The Blue Stoops pub in Kensington, on the site of the previous Kensington Wine Rooms and just north of the Churchill Arms, is due to open we think in late September. The pub owners have commissioned unique beer engines with high “swan necks”, allowing the pumping by hand of the ale from the cellar up to customers, in a theatrical manner. Further updates welcome!

• The long-expected Guinness microbrewery & visitor centre in northern Covent Garden, is now thought to be opening next spring. The Devonshire pub in Soho has become the first in the country to sell Guinness 0.0 alcohol-free on draught.

• The Punch Bowl in Mayfair has reopened with extended opening hours and now serves breakfasts.

• The Blackwood in Shaftesbury Avenue is due to open soon: “Crystal clear ultra-high-definition screens, roaring sound, mouth-watering food, perfect pints. With multiple bars spread across two floors, our new sports pub & kitchen Blackwood is set to be the home of live sport in London.”

National CAMRA news

• More national CAMRA news and events can be found in CAMRA's online newspaper What's Brewing available at https://wb.camra.org.uk/.
• CAMRA also regularly produces a podcast 'Pubs. Pints. People' available at https://camra.org.uk/podcast/.
• The Good Beer Guide 2024 is now on sale at https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product-the-good-beer-guide-2024/. There is also a mobile friendly online Good Beer Guide app available at https://goodbeerguide.org.uk/.

For the latest news check out our Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) pages. Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.