Officials are investigating how an estate agent was able to take over a historic London pub that was meant to be under a preservation order.
The Star in St John’s Wood is 200 years old and drinkers had included Sir Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher. It featured in an Arctic Monkeys video, while the video for The Housemartins’ 1986 hit Happy Hour was shot there.
But last month it shut to make way for Champion Estates, despite Westminster council listing it as an Asset of Community Value to stop it being turned into flats.
This was apparently useless in preventing a change of use to offices. Tom Stainer, of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “This is just the latest in a long line of pubs converted due to a loophole in planning law.”
Gray Champion, director of Champion Estates, pledged to retain the building’s character and said: “I’ve had people coming in asking for a beer and going away disappointed. It was a business, not a public service. We’re entitled to make a living like everyone else.”
Freeholder West End Investments said: “The landlady took the decision to retire. The [new] lease was signed in full compliance with laws and regulations.”
