CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group shares news and updates about pubs with historically significant interiors across the country. For further news see the Pub Heritage website here.

Three Star Heritage Pubs

Drewe Arms, Drewsteignton, Devon

The community buyout of this wonderful village pub (main picture above) is now moving forward swiftly. On 28 August, the Drewe Arms Community Pub group announced its offer had been accepted by Stonegate. It is hoping to raise £600,000 to complete the purchase and make necessary repairs. It has £330,000 pledged from the community so far and is also applying for grants. The official share offer is due to be launched on 29 September. To keep up to date and find out more, visit the Drewe Arms Community Pub website here.

The group has also been awarded one of the first grants from the Architectural Heritage Fund as part of its Historic Assets into Community Ownership programme. This will pay for necessary surveys and architectural work. For more on the grant, go to the Architectural Heritage Fund website here.

Bell & Cross, Clent, Worcestershire (above)

The Bell & Cross has now closed with tenant Jo Tansley, who had run the pub for the past five years, blaming increasing costs and debt taken on over the pandemic. Owned by Stonegate, the pub has been food-orientated in recent times but maintains a multi-room layout, with a fine snug created by timber partitions. The Pub Heritage Group does not know what Stonegate’s intentions are for the Bell & Cross.

Guinea, Mayfair, Greater London Central (above)

Young’s has renewed its lease for a further 30 years, having run the Guinea since 1888. Run as the Guinea Grill since 1952 and specialising in steaks, it is now expanding next door into what was the Sladmore Gallery to increase dining capacity. The Guinea retains Victorian fittings and screens, and Young’s has said the entrance to the new dining area will be discreet to conserve the pub’s heritage and character.

Romping Cat, Bloxwich, West Midlands (above)

The tenants of the Romping Cat, who had been there for five years, left on 13 August after being forced to quit with seven days’ notice by owners Marston’s in what appears to be a particularly acrimonious split. The Romping Cat remains open under temporary management with Marston’s seeking a new licensee.

Tap on the Tutt, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire (above)

Previously called the Three Horseshoes, this well-preserved inter-war roadhouse has now opened under new management and has been renamed to the Tap on the Tutt.

Island Queen, Islington, Greater London North (above)

The Island Queen, which was built in 1851 and has a late-Victorian interior, has reopened following a refurbishment.

Eyre Arms, Hassop, Derbyshire (above)

The Eyre Arms has remained closed since lockdown, but the Pub Heritage Group has received the encouraging news that the current owners want to reopen the pub, but the tenant is not so inclined and remains in situ. It is understood that the owners are starting eviction action.

Crown, Glossop, Derbyshire (above)

The Crown, a traditional end-of-terrace local built in the 1840s and with late-Victorian and interwar refits, has closed due to the licensee retiring. The pub is owned by Samuel Smiths, so in line with its other recent closures, it may take a while before a new licensee is found.

Two Star Heritage Pubs

Polar Bear, Hull, East Yorkshire (above)

The Polar Bear Music Club, which runs the pub, has made unauthorised changes to the back bar, one of only 14 ceramic bar counters surviving in the UK. It is submitting a listed building application to cover these changes and other works that will degrade further the heritage status of the pub. Following a visit by the planning officer, it has been ordered to reinstate the back bar and historic booth seating.

Newcastle Arms, Newark, Nottinghamshire (above)

Newcastle Arms has been closed since June 2021 and has now been converted to housing following a planning application made in 2021.

Crown, Snape, Suffolk (above)

The Pub Heritage Group reported in April that the Crown, which is owned by Adnams, had closed due to the tenant leaving, but it is due to reopen as a pub and Italian restaurant. The group is unsure what changes this may result in, as the pub is Grade II-listed and has a fine snug made of high-backed settles which are estimated to be around 200 years old.

Following a recent assessment visit to Northern Ireland by members of the Pub Heritage Group the following pubs have been graded Two Star:

Farmers Home, Strabane, Northern Ireland (above)

Built in 1870 with an unchanged left hand bar room with an unusual, curved counter, this pub has been upgraded from One Star.

Harbour Bar, Portrush, Northern Ireland (above)

This two-room pub consisting of a front bar, which was revamped in the 1950s or 60s, and a fine rear snug has been upgraded from One Star.

Garvin’s Hotel Bar, Castledawson, Northern Ireland (above)

Dating back to the 18th century, this unspoilt pub has amazingly been solely owned by the Garvin family. The bar was refurbished in the 1950s. The pub is currently only open Friday and Saturday evenings.

Jean Crozier’s, Newry and Rice’s International Bar, Newtownards have also been classified as Two Star status, but there are no entries on the Pub Heritage Group’s website for them yet.

One Star Heritage Pubs

Bell, Pensax, Worcestershire (above)

The proposed community buy out of the Bell is progressing well. The Pub Heritage Group last reported on this in March. The community has now agreed a sale in principle with the owners and have received £200,000 in pledges for future shares and is waiting for a decision on a grant from the government backed Community Ownership Fund for £250,000. Once this is resolved, it intends to start a formal share offer, which is likely to be in September. For more information, visit the Save the Bell at Pensax website here. For more details on the Community Ownership Fund, visit the My Community website here.

Other news

Sunderland heritage pubs trail

Heritage pub walks can be downloaded from a Heritage Pubs of Sunderland and South Tyneside website here. While the project is still under construction, the Pub Heritage Group commends Ken Paul and Terry Ford of the Sunderland and South Tyneside CAMRA branch for developing this excellent local initiative, which will hopefully inspire others.

Crooked House, Himley, Staffordshire

Readers will be aware of the loss through fire and unauthorised demolition of this pub. Although it wasn’t on the Pub Heritage Group’s inventory due to the much-altered interior, it was still an iconic building and the circumstances of its destruction have rightly caused national outrage. The silver lining to this very dark event has been the high profile suddenly given to pub protection in general and the adequacy of both the relevant legislation and the ways in which local planning authorities implement it. CAMRA is finalising campaigning strategies around all aspects of the Crooked House follow-up and will use the opportunity to call for legislative changes and improved practices, especially around enforcement. If these initiatives succeed, then heritage pubs will be among the beneficiaries.

If you have any news for CAMRA’s Heritage Pubs team, send to: info@pubheritage.camra.org.uk. If you wish to receive the bulletins directly, sign up by sending an email to bulletin@pubheritage.camra.org.uk with the word “subscribe” as the subject or “unsubscribe” if you wish to stop receiving bulletins.

Photos by Michael Slaughter and Geoff Brandwood.