One of West Hampstead’s most familiar pubs has pulled down its shutters — but only for a fortnight. The Black Lion on West End Lane closed to drinkers on 5 October as builders moved in for a six-figure refurbishment that will transform the historic venue inside and out.
The team behind the pub has told customers the closure will be brief, with the doors due to reopen on 22 October. It is the latest shake-up for the capital’s locals, coming in the same week that a beloved Battersea pub poured its final pint after decades of serving drinkers.
Outside, the West End Lane building is set for a facelift, with new signage and a refreshed façade planned. The front beer garden is also being improved, with the aim of making it a more comfortable spot for alfresco drinking and dining all year round. The garden has long been a draw in the warmer months, and the upgrade is intended to keep it busy whatever the weather.
Inside, the pub will be overhauled from top to bottom, with new wallpaper, décor, lighting and furniture throughout.
The six-figure budget covers the visible changes outside as well as the full interior overhaul, underlining how seriously the owners are taking the relaunch of a pub that has served the neighbourhood for generations. Work will continue behind closed doors right up to the reopening, when the finished result is unveiled to West Hampstead.
The food and drink offer is changing too. The Metropolitan Pub Company, which owns the Black Lion and is part of the Greene King group, plans a more premium menu built around seasonal ingredients, served alongside traditional pub classics. When the pub reopens, the layout is designed to suit everyone from groups of friends and families to sports fans, supported by a lively programme of entertainment through the year. The Greene King connection will be familiar to readers — the group is currently searching for a new landlord for the Hope & Anchor, its historic music pub in Islington.
The Black Lion’s story stretches back more than 270 years. A beer house has stood on the site since 1751, when West Hampstead was still a rural village rather than the busy north London neighbourhood it is today. In those days it traded as the Old Black Lion and was licensed to sell beer only.
The original building was eventually replaced by the pub that stands on the corner today, erected in 1912. Its identity has shifted more than once since: at one stage the building was painted orange and green and traded as the Rat & Carrot, before reverting to the Old Black Lion, shortening its name to The Lion, and eventually settling back on The Black Lion.
In recent years it has built a reputation for pub food, cocktails, sports on the big screens and live music in a relaxed, laid-back setting — making it a fixture of West End Lane’s social scene and a regular meeting point for the neighbourhood.
Its temporary closure will leave a gap on one of West Hampstead’s busiest streets over the next two weeks. But the scale of the investment — a six-figure sum — is a clear vote of confidence in the area and in the enduring appeal of the great London local.
Drinkers will not have to wait long to see the results. The pub is due to reopen on 22 October, when West Hampstead will get its first look at the new-look Black Lion. It follows other recent revivals across the capital, including a boarded-up Victorian pub in Camden that has just reopened with live music and a fresh look.
