The Star, St John's Wood

Drunch (originally The Star) is a gastropub at 38 St John's Wood Terrace, St John's Wood, in the City of Westminster, London. It was a pub for 200 years before closing in March 2015. The following month Westminster City Council listed it as an asset of community value in order to prevent the property being converted to flats, but this did not prevent the pub being used as a bogus estate agent office. This left only three pubs remaining in the St John's Wood High Street area of John's Wood, with 13 estate agents established. In 2017 it reopened as a restaurant and bar.

The Star, 2012

History

The building had been used as a pub since the 1820s.[1] In 1971, Egon Ronay in one of his guidebooks, commented on its barbecues on Friday and Saturday nights during the cricket season, and the Star's popularity with both players and fans, as well as its "formidable collection of drinking vessels on show".[2]

Notable customers have included Paul McCartney, Dustin Hoffman and Liam Gallagher. The video for The Housemartins' 1986 pop song hit Happy Hour was filmed there, and the Star appeared in an Arctic Monkeys' music video.[3]

Redevelopment

The Star had been owned by the pub company Punch Taverns, until it was sold to the London-based property developer West End Investments for £2.1 million in July 2013.[3]

The Star was a pub for 200 years before closing in March 2015, and becoming a branch of the estate agent chain, Champions, in April 2015.[4]

The property developer Marcus Cooper, through his company West End Investments, had sought permission to convert it into a "single family dwelling".[3] Westminster Council had listed the premises as an asset of community value (ACV) to prevent conversion into flats, however this ACV designation did not stop the premises being used as a bogus estate agents office.[4] Tom Stainer, head of communications for the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) commented: "This is just the latest in a long line of pubs converted due to a loophole in planning law."[4] The council received a petition from 800 people and with support from Paul Heaton of pop group The Housemartins who filmed the video for Happy Hour in The Star in 1986.[1]

Local people commented that only three pubs remained around St John's Wood High Street, whereas there are 13 estate agents.[1]

Reopening as Drunch

The pub reopened as a restaurant and bar named Drunch in May 2017.[5] This was seen as a significant win for the community to retain the premises as a community asset.

This opening followed a similar case in St. John's Wood with the Clifton pub and Star reopening within two weeks of each other. The Clifton retains its original name. The Clifton was closed for over two years, as was the Star, and also a victim of property speculators, until AVCs were imposed.[6]

gollark: There was that time around Halloween, for one thing.
gollark: Do you get 5 NDs at a time or something?!
gollark: (do you people obtain these things)
gollark: HOW?
gollark: At significant cost.

References
  1. Fielding, James (12 April 2015). "Historic pub saved from developers ... to be turned into area's 13th estate agent". Daily Express. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  2. Egon Ronay (1971). Egon Ronay – BMC Guide. Egon Ronay Organisation. p. 177. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. "Unhappy hour: Backlash as two historic London inns are sold for £3.7million to become homes". Evening Standard. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  4. Blunden, Mark (13 April 2015). "St John's Wood pub The Star becomes estate agency despite protection order". Evening Standard. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  5. "Drunch | Eat, Relax and Drunch". drunch.co.uk. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  6. "The Clifton in St John will reopen as a modern all-day gastropub | Latest news | Gastroblog | Hot Dinners". hot-dinners.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.

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