If you like your pubs how I like my Hinge dates (as good looking as possible), then CAMRA – AKA the Campaign for Real Ale – has done you a bit of a favour. The beer-buffs have pub-crawled their across the country in a bid to uncover the most attractive alehouses in the UK. And three lovely London locals were named among the best-looking boozers in the country. Not bad, hey?
CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards are dished out each year to shine a light on the effort and imagination that goes into creating a picture-perfect pub. The annual awards are split into four categories – conversion to pub use, refurbishment, community local, and Historic England. London did a pretty great job across the board, to be quite honest with you – making an appearance in some capacity across all categories. But three particularly good-looking London boozers were named winners. And so it seems only right that they are the spots that I spend the next few minutes waxing lyrical about.
The Blue Stoops, Kensington
The Blue Stoops in Kensington took home joint first place in the ‘conversion to pub use’ department. This category celebrates the spots that weren’t previously used as pubs, specifically looking for buildings that are brimming with character. The Blue Stoops reopened back in 2024, following a rather hefty refurbishment. Formerly the Kensington Wine Rooms, the interior of this wonderful watering hole was reimagined with the likes of new seating, screening, signage, and lighting – and a striking new ceramic bar was also installed.
The Leyton Engineer, Leyton
The Leyton Engineer over in – you guessed it, folks – Leyton was named the winner of the refurbishment award. This particular award does what it says on the tin, really. It highlights pubs that have been refurbished with originality and creativity. The Leyton Engineer was originally used as the local town hall, but was converted into a pub a while back. Its recent refurbishment saw many of the building’s historic features restored, and a new bar back and brass chandeliers installed. CAMRA referred to the Leyton Engineer’s interior as one of the the most impressive in East London – and so it’s certainly doing something right.
The Lord Southampton, Kentish Town
The Lord Southampton took home the community local award; the accolade reserved for ‘outstanding conservation or refurbishment of street-corner pubs at the centre of the local community’. Perched between Kentish Town and Belsize Park, the Lord Southampton was left near-derelict for many years but underwent a rather gargantuan glow-up, and was brought back to life in 2024. The pub’s original floorboards and wall-paneling were restored and the bar area was upgraded. Now, the historic tavern is a vital organ of its community, serving as a sacred space for locals.
Panel chair, Andrew Davison, said: “Despite the increasing pressure on the hospitality industry, people are still prepared to invest time, money and energy into pubs and bars. The Pub Design Awards recognise the extraordinary amount of effort, the imagination and design, plus high-quality craftmanship which have gone into all these projects. In these troubled times, the pub still has a key role in our communities, and those who are working to conserve, repair and renovate them should rightfully be applauded.”
You can find out more about CAMRA’s Pub Design Awards here.
