Star Tavern, London

An early to mid 19th century pub with some interesting Victorian features.

The small room on the right contains a square servery with an old, probably Victorian, bar counter with attractive brackets and what look like handles to open panels in the front, possibly originally for drinks deliveries to the cellar, or for servicing beer engines. The Victorian bar-back has mirrored panels and the wording “Family Wine And” and “Spirit Stores.” in panels to the left and right of an old clock. The presence of two front doors here suggests the right-hand one originally led to an off sales; there is a good set of colourful window screens and a good etched-and-frosted front window announcing the name of the pub. On the rear right behind the servery is a doorway (which has been widened) in a partition that reaches the ceiling and has the figure ‘1’ on it. This tiny room has some old dado panelling but the dumb waiter in the corner looks like a later addition.

A wide arch on the left has some age to it and leads to what were two small rooms joined together many years ago. There is an old fireplace in the front part and a plaster cornice indicating this was probably a public room originally. Another wide arch leads to a small room at the rear with a skylight and a wood-surround fireplace in what was probably a domestic room originally.

Beyond the servery are stairs to the first floor bar, now known as The Library. The bar counter here looks inter-war, but the bar-back appears to be more modern; there is a marble fireplace with a 1930s brick interior and two good ceiling roses.