Earlier this month, the pub, which is thought to be more than 200-years-old, was given ACV status by Camden Council following applications from councillors, local campaigners and the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
It means the Swiss Cottage, located on Finchley Road in St John’s Wood, will be protected from demolition for the next five years.
CAMRA pub and club campaigns director Gary Timmins said: “It’s inspiring to see the Camden community pull together, including our North London Branch, to help save the historic Ye Olde Swiss Cottage.
Going concerns
“Pubs are a vital part of communities, and we want to see them marketed as going concerns and everything possible is done to secure their future.”
The site was temporarily closed in January 2024 for maintenance work before its owners, Samuel Smith’s Brewery, permanently closed the venue for an undisclosed reason.
Timmins added: “There is still a tough journey ahead to save the pub, but the ACV status is a great starting point.
“We have seen too many pubs close their doors for good, and we hope the Ye Old Swiss Cottage will once again become the social hub for its community.”
The pub, which lent its name to the nearby underground station, was originally built in the 1830s and was modelled in the style of a Swiss chalet.
Properly protected
It was considered for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England, administered by Historic England, in 1990 but was not recommended for statutory listing as the building had been significantly rebuilt in 1985.
Campaigners, including CAMRA, have continued to call for tighter laws to protect heritage pubs following the unlawful destruction of the Crooked House in Staffordshire almost two years ago.
Last week, advocates for the Crooked House shared their frustration with The Morning Advertiser (The MA) that justice for ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ had been delayed by appeals from its owners to rebuild the venue elsewhere.
Regarding the Crooked House, Timmins said: “Action is desperately needed from the UK Government to strengthen planning laws and enforcement, so our much-loved locals are properly protected from unwanted and unlawful demolitions or conversions”
