Unbelievably, a decade ago we wrote an impassioned piece on why Kentish Town backstreet boozer the Admiral Mann needs saving. The photo on the left shows the pub in its historic context; on the right is its current state, boarded up and in disrepair.
The Mann was originally built in 1881, becoming part of the McMullen’s family brewery in 1923. Its history is fascinating: it withstood the Zeppelin airship attacks of World War I and the onslaught of the Blitz. In 2014, when the property was sold, it was listed as an Asset of Community Value for 5 years by Camden Council and there was an active campaign locally to save it from development. But for the past 10 years the former pub has remained boarded up.
Now the new owners have launched a consultation on their plans, which include modernising of the ground floor with fully accessible WC and a small kitchenette, a new internal staircase and a better reconfiguration of the ground floor space.
The team are also considering external landscaping of the frontage to offer occasional use for pop-up events, community markets and other outdoor activities. They want to know if there’s anyone locally who would consider operating The Admiral Mann as a community run pub, or whether there are any social enterprises or businesses who would run the pub with a strong community focus.
The consultation, run by West Creative, runs until 5th July 2024. Join in and have your word on this historic boozer here.
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