News and events update, 18 Jan 2026

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:

January 2026

• Mon 26 (2pm) North Soho social, meet Clachan, Kingly St, W1B 5QH, then Shakespeare's Head and Shaston Arms.
• Wed 28 (from 3pm) social at Walham Green (JDW), 472 Fulham Road, SW6 1BY.

February 2026

• Wed 4 (2pm) Kensington social, meet Blue Stoops, 127 Kensington Church St, W8 7LP.
• Mon 16 (7pm) Aldwych social, meet George, The Strand, WC2R 1AP.
• Mon 23 (7/730pm) Branch mtg, Bear (downstairs), 27 Spring Street, W2 1JA.

March 2026

• Wed 4 (2pm) Soho social, meet Coach and Horses, Old Compton St, W1D 4TQ (Shepherd Neame, NOT the nearby Fuller’s pub).
• Thu 19 (2pm) Westminster social, meet Two Chairmen, 39 Dartmouth St, SW1H 9BP.

Branch and regional CAMRA news and events

• London Pubs Group continues its tours of historic pubs - for information see https://londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/events. Next event: Sat 21 Feb - Daytime Pub Tour of Kingston and New Malden.
• Our neighbouring branches have regular socials and other events - for information see the websites of East London and City, North London, South East London, Richmond and Hounslow, South West London, and West Middlesex. See the London CAMRA website for links to other Greater London branches. Here are a few examples of events offered by our neighbouring branches:
  • Tue 24 Mar (from 7pm) beer quiz, Black Dog Beer House, 17 Albany Road, Brentford, TW8 0NF. Small entry fee, contact Richmond & Hounslow branch for details.
• 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, club and other local beer events

• Sat 24 Jan (from 7pm, needs booking) Burns Night at Admiralty pub, 66 Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS. £49.50 for ½ a pint of our braggot-style beer - 3 courses - 3 whisky toasts and a bagpipe player who will be with us all evening this time.
• Sat 21 Mar (noon for 12.30pm prompt) SPBW AGM, White Horse, Parsons Green, SW6 4UL; followed by local-area pub tour. Visit the SPBW website for more information.
• Thu 14 May (3pm-10.30pm), Fri & Sat 16 (noon-10.30pm) SPBW Woodfest, The Musical Museum, 399 High Street, Brentford, London TW8 0DU (entrance fee payable; 5 minutes walk from Kew Bridge). Visit the SPBW website for more information. 

Pub news

• NW1

  • SPORTS BAR & GRILL (Network Rail/Stonegate), Melcombe Place, NW1 6JJ. Renamed STATION MASTER.

• NW8

  • DUKE OF YORK (Stonegate), 2 St Ann's Terrace, NW8 6PJ The pub was part of the small London Frontier Pubs chain but as of Jan 2026 this has morphed into a new venture, Highpress, with currently five London sites.

• SW1

  • ADAM & EVE (Greene King), 81 Petty France, SW1H 9EX. Reopened following Refurb. 

  • HOUSE BELGRAVIA (Grosvenor Estate), 152 Ebury Street, SW1W 9JL. Closed, future uncertain. 

  • LOOSE BOX (Market Taverns), 51 Horseferry Road, SW1P 2AA. Reported Dec 2025 as no longer selling cask ale.

  • STOKE HOUSE (Land Securities PLC/Pit Boss Ltd/Pit Boss Ltd), 81 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0AJ. Closed, to become a Brother Marcus mediterranean restaurant in early 2026.

  • WHITE FERRY HOUSE (Stonegate/PubLove), 1a Sutherland Street, SW1V 4LD. Seacider available. 

• SW10

  • GOAT (Stonegate), 333 Fulham Road, SW10 9QL. Reopened as the GOAT IN BOOTS. After various incarnations this is now run by 202 Pub Co ex Aldrich Inns, and describes itself as a "coaching inn, public house, neighbourhood restaurant, martini & oyster bar, and boutique hotel"! Cask beer has been spotted in the form of Boddingtons brewed at JW Lees.

• SW3

  • CADOGAN ARMS (Cadogan/The Cadogan Pub Ltd/independent), 298 Kings Road, SW3 5UG. Following a management buyout of JKS, from Dec 2025 the new operator is Ardent Pub Group.

• SW5

  • BOTTLERY (Hadstone Limited/unknown/independent), 231 Earls Court Road, SW5 9AH. Closed, lease under offer via Loopnet, Use Class E.

  • EARLS COURT TAVERN (Greene King/unknown/Greene King), 123 Earls Court Road, SW5 9RL. Reopened following refurb.

  • PRINCE OF TECK (KECS Properties Ltd/Stonegate), 161 Earls Court Road, SW5 9RQ. Since the end of 2025 operated by the small south-east Whelans chain of Irish pubs. London Pride was the only cask beer on offer from the solitary handpump when last checked.

• SW6

  • BROOK & BADGER, 224 Munster Road, SW6 6AY. On the site of the old Fulham Tavern, Eamonn Manson, a 30-year veteran of the pub and restaurant scene, has joined forces with his friend, pop art dealer Adrian Palengat, to create this new gastropub venture. Manson already owns Brook House in New Kings Road and Brooke in Clapham. 3 handpumps. Tribute was available from one of them during soft launch.

  • SIXES CRICKET CLUB (Errislannen Ltd/Stonegate/Motherclub Limited), 18 Farm Lane, SW6 1PP. Reported closed, Sixes are in administration.

• W1

  • GEORGE (Crown Estate/The George (London) Ltd/JKS Pubs), 55 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LQ. Following a management buyout of JKS, from Dec 2025 the new operator is Ardent Pub Group. Downgraded from one star to two for its historic pub interior.

  • MASONS ARMS (Greene King), 38 Maddox Street, W1S 1PY. Reopened following refurb.

  • NEWMAN ARMS (202 Pub Co Ltd ex Aldrich Inns/no lease/202 Pub Co Ltd ex Aldrich Inns), 23 Rathbone Street, W1T 1NG. Now Cask Marque accredited.

  • PURL, Basement, 50-54 Blandford Street, W1U 7HX. Reopened as DIVE.

• W6

  • CARPENTER'S ARMS (HPUT A Ltd/Stonegate/Wren Pubs), 91 Black Lion Lane, W6 9BG. Freehold sold to The Carpenters Arms Property Company Ltd. 

  • CRABTREE (Greene King/unknown/Metropolitan (Greene King)), Rainville Road, W6 9HA. Reopened following refurb. 

  • DISTILLERS (Fuller Smith & Turner/unknown/Fuller's), 64 Fulham Palace Road, W6 9PH. Reopened following refurb. 

  • OLD CITY ARMS (Stonegate), 107 Hammersmith Bridge Road, W6 9DA. The pub is now within the Stonegate Craft Union model. 

• W8

  • HANSOM CAB (individual/Casares Properties Ltd/independent), 86 Earls Court Road, W8 6EG. Closed for refurb; reopening early 2026. 

• W9

  • FRANKFORT ARMS (Stonegate/Craft Union), 518 Harrow Road, W9 3QA. Reopened as the ASHMORE. 

• W11

  • LOCK & LANTERN (202 Pub Co), 60 Great Western Road, W11 1AB. Cask Ale reinstated – a changing beer from Hogs Back has been available. 

  • STEWART ARMS (Stonegate), 26 Norland Road, W11 4TR. Sold to Eastway Estates. 

• W12

  • BREWDOG SHEPHERDS BUSH, 15-19 Goldhawk Road, W12 8QQ. Renamed the BUSH TAVERN is now operated by Bird House Brewery of Herne Hill, along with the nearby The HAWK’S NEST by Goldhawk Road tube station. The Bush serves beer from the brewery, and food is provided by west London burger operator No Drama. The interior has a pleasant open feel with pine decor and some modern prints on the walls. Chalkboards behind the bar give the drinks range. Cask beers are Pale and Amber from Bird House. 

  • O'DONOGHUES (Stonegate), 174 Goldhawk Road, W12 8HJ. Renamed SWAKELEY'S in the Summer. 

• W14

  • ALBION (Heineken), 121 Hammersmith Road, W14 0QL. This once great cask ale pub now no longer sells any! 

• WC2

  • BAR CICORIA, Royal Opera House, Bow Street, WC2E 9DD. An all-day rooftop bar on the fifth floor of the Royal Opera House, a heated, covered terrace wrapped around the Cicoria Italian restaurant operated by Angela Hartnett. It's walk-ins only and you do not need a theatre ticket to gain entry. The bar is inspired by "Turin's historic bar culture". A selection of Italian snack food is available in the bar as well as a wide drinks offering including Italian aperitifs and beers and cider. The venue is cashless and a 12.5% discretionary service charge is added to bills. 

  • CRUSTING PIPE (Davy's), 27 The Market, WC2E 8RD. Closed, lease on the market 

  • GUINNESS OPEN GATE BREWERY, 1 Mercer Walk, WC2H 9FA Costing a reported £73m, this site is a major addition to the Covent Garden tourist scene and expecting half a million visitors each year. It's a 54,000 sq ft venue located on the site of the historic Old Brewer’s Yard, containing a microbrewing facility with changing limited edition brews (but not including Guinness!). On-site Guinness comes direct from Dublin, and via the magic of modern technology it is possible to have your pint of Guinness with your selfie imprinted on the top! Across various spaces there are also two restaurants, Gilroy's Loft and The Porter's Table; and Old Brewer's Yard, a ground-level courtyard space containing the main bar plus a pie-van with handmade pies by Chef Calum Franklin. The bar is a predominantly outside space, with a small amount of cover from a high glass ceiling; and at peak drinking times you may have to queue to get a space here. At opening it was reported that as well as Guinness, keg offerings included Open Gate Porter, Pale Ale, IPA and Lager, plus some unusual beers such as Belgian Wit and Apricot Sour. In addition there are two Guinness merchandise stores, one accessed via the brewery and one on Neal Street; a private dining room; and the Guinness Vaults on Langley Street offering an underground, private-hire event space, which will also host community and consumer events. Tickets may be booked for "the Guinness Experience". No dogs apart from guide dogs. Hours given here are for free public access to Old Brewers Yard, but tours and experiences run from 9.30am (11.30am on Sundays). There is much to see at this venue, not least the Guinness mirrored murals on the outside of the brewery which illustrate both brewing in Covent Garden and the history of local sites including the Royal Opera House. Note that the whole site is card-only. The venue was visited by King Charles a few days after opening, and he apparently poured a perfect pint! 

  • MARKET PLACE, 20-21 Leicester Square, WC2H 7JX. A few yards north of the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square, this is promoted as London's largest food hall spanning five floors, and with sixteen street-food kitchens, three dessert counters, and three bars. Keg beers only, of course. Market Place Leicester Square has a dedicated events space with a big screen to show the biggest sporting events. There is also a private dining room available to rent, and a programme of events, featuring live music, DJ sets, and comedy. Home to comedy club, Belly Laughs. Market Place is a small chain with half-a-dozen other London sites.

National CAMRA news

• The national CAMRA members weekend will be held at St Albans on 17-19 April, see https://camra.org.uk/members-weekend for more details. All CAMRA members are welcome to attend!
• CAMRA members can now visit CAMRA-run beer festivals for free during 2026! (Please note: there may be a requirement to purchase a glass or book in advance at some festivals - check the website for the festival you're planning to visit for details).
• 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 2026 is now on sale through the CAMRA website and various other outlets. The Good Beer Guide is also available online on the new camra.org.uk/pubs website for free to members and for a subscription to non-members. To find Good Beer Guide entries after doing a search tick the Good Beer Guide filter in your search results page (under the 'Awards' heading). 
• The new CAMRA website https://camra.org.uk/ has been launched. WhatPub and the Good Beer Guide are incorporated in the new website.

For the latest news check out our Facebook page. Also for news from CAMRA across London see London Drinker, and the London CAMRA Facebook page.