BARING HALL Pub of Lewisham

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Thursday, 26 June, 2025.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest ????

Baring Hall Hotel

Closed Mar 2020

368 Baring Road

Grove Park

Lewisham

020 8851 2184

https://baringhallhotel.com/

https://whatpub.com/pubsbaring-hall-hotel

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above postcard, circa 1909.

Above photo, circa 1909, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. At the time this photograph was taken, the pub was a tied house within the estate of Nalder & Collyer's Croydon Brewery, which could trace its history back to the latter part of the 16th century.

Above a circa 1920 beer label.

Above photo, circa 1909. Close up of building.

Above photo, 2018.

Above photo, 2018.

Above photo, 2019.

Above photo 2019.

Above photo, 2019.

Above sign left, June 1991. Sign right, date unknown.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above photo 2021.

I have also seen this addressed as in Lee.

This is the only pub located in Grove Park town centre. A fire in 2009 which someone said was caused by a firebomb, (unconfirmed) caused significant damage to the building. Twenty firefighters from Downham, Lee Green and Bromley fire stations battled the flames for more than two hours before getting it under control. Luckily no one was hurt.

As you can see from the 2018 photos, fire damage to the panelling was not replaced but rather cleaned up and left in situ to create a charred/faded grandeur style decor. This was more or less how it looked until the pub closed down during the early pandemic of 2000. There was hope that it would reopen but that never transpired.

Luckily it has Grade II listed status, not least because of the unstinting efforts of The Baring Trust, The Victorian Society, and many local people. Applications for demolition have been unsuccessful.

Closed due to covid and as of July 2021 the pub remains closed with no re-opening date known. Lewisham's licence register indicated the premises licence had been suspended for non-payment of annual fee. Antic, the owners, have previously stated that they were relying on gaining planning permission for a residential development on part of the car-park to make their investment in this pub viable.

The latest news we could find is that as of July 2023 the new owner said he wished to restore the building to once again be used as a public house, stating that there was enormous potential but that the project would be challenging.

In a statement the two directors of The Baring Trust said: “The pub has survived two world wars, the Wall Street Crash of 1929, two pandemics, two fires and 14 years of various owners trying to knock it down or develop for houses.”

Info Credit: Bromley Newshopper / The Baring Trust.

From the https://www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk By J Smith, 8 May 2024.

Plans in to renovate Baring Hall Grove Park pub and hotel.

Plans have been submitted to renovate and rebuild the Baring Hall Hotel in Grove Park.

The building was Grade II listed in 2018 and operated by Antic until March 2020.

It was purchased by the current owner in 2023 who was also behind the restoration of The Lord Northbrook on Burnt Ash Road.

Proposed elevation post renovation.

The proposal includes “internal and external alterations, a single-storey kitchen extension and installation of associated extraction vents, conversion of the first and second floor to 10 letting rooms, rebuild of the stable block to provide 6 letting rooms and improvements to the external patio area”.

The former pub and hotel is a prominent local landmark very close to Grove Park station seeing high footfall at the corner of Baring Hall Road and Downham Way.

Ghost sign.

Alongside changes previously mentioned, the application notes that one side of the building “will be rendered and finished with a feature ‘ghost’ type sign”.

Applicant seeking to rebuild building in poor shape. Image: Planning application.

A Heritage Statement within the application covers the site’s history:

“The Baring Hall Hotel has considerable significance as one of the few extant traces of the Grove Park suburb, inspired by the success of the world famous Bedford Park in West London and promoted by the Baring family to designs by Ernest Newton.”

Architect Ernest Newton designed a number of buildings in south east London including St Swithun’s Church in Hither Green and the "Royal Bell Hotel" in Bromley which saw plans for extension approved in 2018.

LICENSEE LIST

POUND John 1882+

CLEMENTS John 1891-96+

HEARD William 1901+

DENBY Frances Mrs 1905+

HARRIS Frederick Davis 1911+

ISAACA Harry 1919+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/BaringHall.shtml

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

TOP