Three London pubs have been recognised as among the most beautiful in the UK in the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)'s 2026 Pub Design Awards. The annual awards, which celebrate outstanding pub design and conservation, honoured the Blue Stoops in Kensington, the Leyton Engineer in Leyton, and the Lord Southampton in Kentish Town across three categories.
Blue Stoops wins conversion category
The Blue Stoops on Kensington High Street took joint first prize in the conversion to pub use category, alongside St Peter's Tavern in Liverpool. The pub opened in 2024 after a major refurbishment of the former Kensington Wine Rooms, commissioned by Jamie Allsopp of heritage Midlands brewery Allsopp & Sons. The redesign included height partitions, glazed screening, new fixed seating, new signage, lighting, and a ceramic bar.
Leyton Engineer awarded for refurbishment
The Leyton Engineer won the refurbishment award, which recognises 'originality and imagination' in refurbishing an existing pub. Housed in a Grade II-listed building originally built as Leyton Town Hall in 1895, the pub underwent a makeover that restored historic features such as glazed screens and mosaic and terrazzo floors, and added a new bar back and brass chandeliers. CAMRA called it 'one of the most impressive pub interiors in east London'. Fellow Leyton pub The European was runner-up in the same category.
Lord Southampton wins community local award
The Lord Southampton in Kentish Town won the community local award, reserved for 'outstanding conservation or refurbishment of street-corner pubs at the centre of the local community'. Hidden down a backstreet between Kentish Town and Belsize Park and once frequented by Karl Marx, the pub was derelict and boarded up for several years before Aimee Brown and Phil Harrington took on the lease in 2024 to bring it back to life. Original floorboards and damaged wall-panelling were restored, the bar area was upgraded, and new hand-painted signage was commissioned.
Other London pubs commended in the awards include Leyton's European (highly commended in the refurb category) and Fitzrovia's Duke of York (commended in the refurb category).
