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Saving The Queens Hotel
A victory for local campaigning in Crouch End
An important and high profile pub preservation issue has developed in North London over the last two months, which has to date, demonstrated the power of effective campaigning, with swift action by local drinkers backed by CAMRA.
The Queens Hotel, first opened in 1901, can be eloquently described as a superb example of Victorian design. Along with its sister pub the Salisbury Hotel (in Green Lanes, Harringay) it was, unusually, built not by a publican or brewery but by a north London builder John Hill, as a pub and hotel to serve local neighbourhoods partially developed by himself. Built on a new site and requiring a new licence, Hill overcame considerable local opposition at the time. Hill is believed to be the architect of the Queens with the bar fittings made to his designs in his own workshops, with Cakebread Robey producing stained glass windows for the pub.
The present day pub boasts a wealth of carved fittings, etched glass, an ornate ceiling and original features, making it an important historical landmark in Crouch End.
The owners of the pub, Scottish and Newcastle brewery, had decided to implement a damaging 'refurbishment' which soon transpired to involve the pub closing and re-opening as a very large 200 seat pizza restaurant! As soon as this became public knowledge, a group of regular drinkers revived their status as 'Friends Of The Queens'. A meeting was called and a group of 30-plus people gathered to register their opposition to the plans. At this point CAMRA North London became involved, along with other interested parties including The London Pubs Group, and the campaign gathered pace, as recorded and reported by the local paper, the Hornsey Journal.
The proposals were viewed with horror when the brewery's true intentions became clear. Not only would items of significant historical interest be lost but the pub itself.
It was not long before senior members of the brewery requested at short notice a meeting with The Friends Of The Queens. At this point the original plans were withdrawn and new proposals involving a standard refurbishment and enhanced range of real ales were put forward, which are at the time of writing awaiting approval.
The fight to save the Queens Hotel is not yet concluded and the next issue of The Full Pint will include an update. In the meantime support may be given by passing contact details to the Editor for forwarding to The Friends Of The Queens, and why not visit the pub to see why this is of immense importance both to the local community and our pub heritage?
Words and photo by Mark Hoile,
North London Branch Pub Preservation Officer
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 10.
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