The Carlton Tavern is a former pub in Kilburn, London, that was demolished under controversial circumstances, and which the developer has since been ordered to rebuild. The pub was the only building in the street to survive the Blitz during World War II.
Building
The Carlton Tavern stood just to the south of St. Augustine's church on Carlton Vale. It was built in 1920–21 for Charrington Brewery to a design by the architect Frank J. Potter. It replaced an earlier pub on the same site that was destroyed by a German bomb from the major Gotha Raidsair raid of 19/20 May 1918. The building was noted for its unaltered 1920s interiors and faience tiled exterior. It was the only building in the street to survive the Blitz during World War II. It was owned by Punch Taverns until at least June 2008, when they were unsuccessful in their application to have opening hours extended "until the early hours of the morning". A spokesman for Historic England said "The site was remarkably well-preserved externally and internally. It displayed the hierarchy of rooms in their fixtures, fittings and decorative treatment and retained all its external signage. Few pubs were built at this date and fewer survive unaltered".
Demolition
The building was being considered by Historic England for Grade II listing when it was unexpectedly demolished on 8 April 2015 by the owner, Tel Aviv-based Israeli property developer CLTX Limited, to make way for a block of flats above a new pub. The landlady was told by the owners on Easter Monday to close the pub for an "inventory", but when she returned two days later, found the building had been demolished. According to Haaretz, CLTX is "a relatively unknown company with only one listed director – Tel Aviv lawyer Ori Calif".
Rebuilding
On 5 May 2015, Westminster City Council issued an "unprecedented" enforcement notice ordering CLTX to "recreate in facsimile the building as it stood immediately prior to its demolition". The notice will prevent CLTX from selling the site until the pub has been rebuilt. The London Evening Standard reported that they would have to rebuild it "brick by brick". CLTX was ordered to rebuild the pub within 18 months from the date it was demolished, 8 April. Councillor Jan Prendergast called it "the lawless destruction of Westminster’s heritage". Councillor Robert Davis, deputy leader, said "Westminster is home to the West End – not the Wild West". CLTX appealed over both the refusal of planning permission for its proposed replacement flats and the order to rebuild the pub "brick by brick". A public inquiry sat to consider both appeals in May 2016. It rejected both appeals, but extended the time allowed for rebuilding to 24 months. In October 2016 it was reported that CLTX had met with Westminster City Council to discuss rebuilding the pub. In March 2017, surveys of the site were being carried out, and notices on the pub announced that the rebuilding process had commenced. In October 2017 CLTX submitted a further planning application to include three flats within the pub when rebuilt. This was declined as it was considered to go against the decision of the planning inquiry. It was also noted that CLTX had restructured and no longer had any UK based directors. By April 2019, most of the pub's missing exterior had been rebuilt. As of late February 2020, the pub had still not reopened, and Westminster City Council was once again considering taking action against its owners.
