Pubs are such a fundamental part of British society, and their unique architecture is a defining feature of British cities. I won& #39;t be going back immediately, but in honor of their reopening, here& #39;s a thread of empty pubs during lockdown.
Half Moon Pub - Herne Hill
Half Moon Pub - Herne Hill
Most pubs are along busy streets, but some of the best are found in quiet neighborhoods.
The Effra Hall is close to central Brixton in a Victorian residential area.
The Effra Hall is close to central Brixton in a Victorian residential area.
The Crown & Greyhound - Dulwich Village was built in 1897 by a firm of architects who specialized in pubs. It& #39;s a delightfully ornate exterior with a classic interior of dark wood, mouldings, and stained glass.
The Prince of Wales - Pimlico was rebuilt in its present form in 1925, though it could pass for a medieval building just as well with its Dutch gables, small pane windows, and rustic details.
The Sun - Clapham occupies what was once a butcher& #39;s shop
The Fentiman Arms - Oval is another of those pubs on a relatively quiet street of Victorian terraces. They handily left the lights on throughout lockdown to make taking photos easier.
The Prince of Wales - Kennington is on Cleaver Square, a beautiful Georgian square (though the pub was rebuilt in 1901, far later than most of the houses).
The Thomas Cubitt - Belgravia, named after the famous builder who built much of Belgravia and Pimlico, is not quite your neighborhood local, but still a stunning building.
The Albert - Victoria, sadly hemmed in by subpar neighbours, was rebuilt in 1867 on the site of an earlier pub.
The Rectory - Clapham. Such a simple building, yet it& #39;s still unmistakably a pub.
The Sugar Loaf - City of London. I suspect pubs in the City will have a harder time to get going again given that they mainly serve city workers on weekdays.
The Royal Standard - Wandsworth is a small gem of a pub just off Old York Road in Wandsworth Town, at the end of a Victorian terrace
To conclude my pub series, a few of my local pubs which I haven& #39;t yet had the chance to visit.
The Lighthouse - Battersea, a whimsical Victorian pub on busy Battersea Park Road
The Lighthouse - Battersea, a whimsical Victorian pub on busy Battersea Park Road
The Latchmere - Battersea is a favourite of my housemates, with apparently a nice garden out back.
What a mix of materials with those glazed tiles on the ground floor and the second story highlighted by white paint, all topped by an exuberant cornice.
What a mix of materials with those glazed tiles on the ground floor and the second story highlighted by white paint, all topped by an exuberant cornice.
Just across the river, The Chelsea Pig - Chelsea, one of those gastropubs which is more brasserie than pub (this being Chelsea), but clothed in typical rustic pub garb.
A few more pub photos that I just took off my memory card.
Duke& #39;s Head - Putney was built in 1864 just upstream from Putney Bridge on the site of a previous pub.
Duke& #39;s Head - Putney was built in 1864 just upstream from Putney Bridge on the site of a previous pub.
The Prince& #39;s Head - Richmond sits on a corner of Richmond Green and dates to the 1700s