February 2025 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:

• February
  • Mon 17 (7/7.30pm) branch meeting – Hand & Flower, 1 Hammersmith Road W14 8XJ - apologies for the late CHANGE OF VENUE due to unexpected circumstances.
  • Sat 22 (12 noon start) - London Pubs Group tour of Kensington & Notting Hill. Start at Elephant & Castle, W8 4LT; then on to Churchill Arms (1.45pm), Blue Stoops (2.15pm), Windsor Castle (3pm), Uxbridge Arms (3.30pm), Cock & Bottle (4.30pm), Duke of Wellington (5.15pm), Elgin (6pm).
  • Tue 25 (7pm) social - Cask Pub and Kitchen, 6 Charlwood Street, SW1V 2EE
• March
  • Wed 5 (2pm) social - Latymers, 157 Hammersmith Rd, W6 8BS
  • Tues 18 (2pm) social, Crown and Anchor, 137 Drummond St, NW1 2HL

Regional CAMRA news and events

• West London Pub of the Year voting is in progress at time of writing this - closing on 28th February. Branch members have been emailed with details of how to vote. If you're a member of the branch but haven't received details please contact branch secretary Paul Charlton. (Note: voting is only open to members of West London branch).
• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/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.
• London Drinker is 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, LORD HIGH ADMIRAL (Westminster City Council/Stonegate), 95 Church Street, NW8 8EY. Planning granted in June 2023 to demolish as part of the Church Street redevelopment.
• NW8, SALT HOUSE (Max Barney Pub Company), 63 Abbey Road, NW8 0AE. Having converted to a restaurant which has subsequently closed, now being marketed for sale/lease as a public house.
• SW1, RILEYS SPORTS BAR (Crown Estate), 80 Haymarket, SW1Y 4TE. Gutted following internal and external alterations to New Zealand House.
• SW6, BROADWAY BAR & GRILL (Stonegate), 474-476 Fulham Road, SW6 1BY. Opened again in December 2024.
• SW6, KING'S HOUSE (Wellington/ex City Pub Company), 541 Kings Road, SW6 2EB. Having become an events venue, lease on the market again.
• SW6, MCGETTIGAN'S (HPUT A Ltd/Stonegate/independent), 1 The Broadway, SW6 1AA. Was closed in December.
• SW6, REDBACK (Ilona House Investments Limited/Redcat), 490 Fulham Road, SW6 5NH. Lease on the market via Genius1.
• SW6, TEMPERANCE (Wellington/Stonegate), 90 Fulham High Street, SW6 3LF. Closed for refurb. Due to reopen 30 January 2025.
• W1, BLIND PIG, Social Eating House, 58-59 Poland Street, W1F 7NR. Closed at this site & a Blind Pig bar has opened in Mayfair. It is thought that this site is being taken by vegetarian restaurant group Mildred's
• W1, COACH & HORSES (Fuller's), 29 Greek Street, W1D 5DH. Now offers CAMRA members 15% off real ales.
• W1, DUKE OF WELLINGTON (Stonegate), 77 Wardour Street, W1D 6QA. No longer sells real ale.
• W1, FLARE (Shaftesbury/Sweet Sky Ltd), 14-16 Ganton Street, W1F 7BT. Closed, future uncertain.
• W1, FREEDOM (Benesco Charity Ltd/Soho Bars (London) Ltd/Soho Bars), 66 Wardour Street, W1F 0TA. Reopened following refurb.
• W1, LOOP, 19 Dering Street, W1S 1AH. Already reported closed, planning granted for part demolition, part redevelopment and extension.
• W1, MARYLEBONE (Howard De Walden Estates Ltd/Heineken/Marylebone Leisure Group), 93 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4RE. No longer sells Real Ale.
• W1, PITCHER & PIANO (Marston's/unknown/unknown), 8-10 Pollen Street, W1S 1NQ. Became BLIND PIG. This is a cocktail bar, transferred by Jason Atherton from his previous Soho site. "Inspired by the clandestine drinking dens of Prohibition-era America". Vinyl records, snacks and burgers, and the long drinks list includes draught Guinness plus various botted beers and lagers. The Mary's restaurant food menu is also available in the linked venue. Walk-ins welcome.
• W1, PURL, Basement, 50-54 Blandford Street, W1U 7HX. Closed temporarily, reopening soon under another name.
• W6, HAMPSHIRE (Heineken), 227 King Street, W6 9JT. Reopened as HAMMERSMITH BELLE, now part of the small London Belle chain and sports their signature red and pink silk roses on the walls and artificial grass on the ceiling. There is a striking black and white chequered floor and much use is made of mirrors and other glass to enhance the lighting. The grand fireplace at the rear survives. The bar accommodates numerous keg beer taps and two ale handpulls, but the latter were not yet in use at date of our visit soon after the pub's soft opening. However, Fuller's London Pride is expected to be on offer by the end of January 2025. There is an extensive food menu with a focus on burgers and, on Sundays, roasts. Breakfast is offered from the 8am opening time until 11.30am but note that alcohol cannot be served until 10am.
• W10, BERTIE BLOSSOMS (Maverick Properties Ltd/individual/Fat Punt), 323 Portobello Road, W10 5SY. Temporarily closed, reopening expected Feb 2025.
• W11, BAR 128, 126-128 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3QG. This venue has had a number of names since closing as Bar 128 but became ARCHER STREET in December 2022.
• W11, GATE RESTAURANT & BAR, 87 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3JZ. Became VIAJANTE87 in January 2023, a Latin-American cocktail bar; there is one bottled beer available.
• W11, LOVE, 265 Portobello Road, W11 1LR. Closed in November. It sold cocktails, wine, champagne, some bottled lagers and cider.
• W12, GREEN (Stonegate/Craft Union), 172-174 Uxbridge Road, W12 7JP. No longer selling real ale, the handpumps having been removed.
• W14, CROWN & SCEPTRE (Heineken), 34 Holland Road, W14 8BA. Closed, future uncertain.
• WC2, RUBY BLUE (Soho Estates/Shoreditch Bar Group), 1 Leicester Place, Leicester Square, WC2H 7BP. Closed. Planning app permitted in 2024 to convert to casino & restaurant in basement & ground floors.
• WC2, ZOO TOO (Soho Estates /Zoo Bar Ltd), 18 Bear Street, WC2H 7AQ. Now renamed MUNSTER TAVERN since summer 2024, a long and narrow Irish bar with one Irish stout and various other keg beers. No cask ale. The upstairs hosts the Monkey Business Comedy Club.

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 2025 is now on sale at https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product-the-good-beer-guide-2025/. There is also a mobile friendly online Good Beer Guide app available at https://goodbeerguide.org.uk/ (also available on the new CAMRA website).
• The new CAMRA website https://camra.org.uk/ has been launched. WhatPub and the Good Beer Guide are incorporated in the new website, although the old websites are still available at the time of writing.
• CAMRA also has a new logo - this branch website will be updated to the new look soon.
• The CAMRA Members National Weekend and AGM 2025 will be in Torquay, 11th to 13th April.
• The Great British Beer Festival 2025 will be held in the NEC, Birmingham on 5th to 9th August.

For the latest news check out our Facebook page (please note: we are not posting on our X/Twitter page at present). Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.