The last remaining boozer on Oxford Street could close its doors as a public house after Westminster Council decided last month to permit a change of use.
The Tottenham public house at 6 Oxford Street, is located within the Hanway Conservation Area and is a Grade II* listed building. But the owners applied to Westminster city council for a Certificate of Lawfulness to change the use of the existing building from Class A4 (Drinking Establishment) to a use either as Class A1 (Retail), A2 ( Financial and Professional Services), or Class A3 (Food and Drink) under the Provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development).
The application sought confirmation that planning permission is not required for the change of use. In a delegated decision a planning officer said a change of use can take place under a General Permitted Development Order. In other words without further planning permission.
The Tottenham is the last remaining pub on Oxford Street. Once known as The Flying Horse, its heritage can be dated back to at least 1790. In its early days the regulars were theatregoers from the nearby Tottenham Street Theatre an auditorium that was once London’s finest music hall. In the pub are three curvaceous ladies painted by Felix de Jong, the leading decorative artist in music hall.
The change of use was opposed by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).
In 1841 there were 34 pubs along Oxford Street. The Tottenham was featured in the Fitzrovia News Pub Crawl in 2011.