Special pubs across England have been given new protection status to save them from being turned into flats.
Whitelock’s Ale House in Leeds city centre is one of 11 famous watering holes getting Grade II* heritage status on the advice of Historic England.
Described by poet Sir John Betjeman as ‘the very heart of Leeds’, the 19th century building became a celebrity hotspot over the years.
Famous regulars included Lawrence of Arabia actor Peter O’Toole, ballerina Margot Fonteyn and the Mirror’s own columnist, the late Keith Waterhouse, who wrote Billy Liar.
Legend has it even JRR Tolkien drew inspiration from the pub writing poems in the bar tucked behind a busy shopping street in West Yorkshire.
General manager, Beth Templeton, who has worked for nine years in the “special” pub established in 1715, explained how the interior that exists today was fitted way back in 1895.
“We are incredibly proud to be receiving this new listing, it’s great for us, just fantastic,” she told the Mirror.
“It’s brilliant that Historic England are doing such great work to recognise the importance of public houses.
Pubs are such a part of the community and people’s daily lives.
“Everyone is really thrilled and chuffed for us. We have a strong community here, a lot of regulars and their families have been coming here for years.
“There are many stories of famous people they have seen here. Peter O’Toole, Keith Waterhouse, the novelist.
“Legend has it that JRR Tolkien used to come down here and write poems. He used to teach at the university. There’s some poetry he wrote about ale houses and taverns and it’s nice to think we may have been an inspiration to him.”
Asked what makes them so special, she added: “We are metres away from a busy British shopping street which is very much in the 20th century.
“But by walking a few steps down a ginnel you are transported back in time.”
Whitelock’s is joined by another Victorian pub – the Prince Alfred in Maida Vale, north-west London – which Historic England called ‘one of the best examples of urban pubs of its era’.
The two pubs are now among the top 5.8% of protected buildings in England, joining the likes of the Old Bailey and other internationally renowned buildings.
Southeast London’s rare Victorian corner boozer, Blythe Hill Tavern in Forest Hill, is now a Grade II building, as is the inter-war pub, the Admiral Vernon in Dagenham.
A further seven already-protected boozers have had their listings upgraded to reflect their historic interiors.
They include the Red Lion in Mayfair, central London, the Harrow Inn, Petersfield, and Steventon’s North Star Inn.
Paul Ainsworth, chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “Times are tough for all pubs at the moment, including those with important historic interiors. The more protection they can receive, the better.”
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, added: “At a time when many historic pubs in England are susceptible to change or at risk of closure, we are pleased to celebrate pubs that have kept their remarkable interiors.
“These rare interiors help tell the fascinating story of pubs over the centuries and how they reflected society.
‘From celebrity haunt Whitelock’s Ale House to the Prince Alfred in London with its “snob screens”, they all fully deserve the protection given by listing.’
The announcement comes just weeks after CAMRA published its pub closure statistics for 2021.
According to the figures, 290 pubs were demolished or converted to another use across Britain – an average of just over five a week.
