The Grade II-listed former Leslie Arms Public House in Croydon, London was built in c.1850.
Grade II-listed, 1900, architect unknown
The Leslie Arms was built and managed by Croydon brewers Nalder & Colyer in 1900, in a loose interpretation of the Arts and Crafts tradition. An essay in redbrick and terracotta, it is noted for its asymmetrical roofline, comprised of Dutch gables, a three-storey circular tower, and a five-light dormer with leaded light mullions; as well as its ground floor, which retains its original continuous bar front in full, with thirteen Ionic pilasters, six mullioned and transomed multi-panel windows, six round-headed arch openings, and panelled risers. The building occupies a prominent position at the south end of Cherry Orchard Road, and remained popular throughout the twentieth century, before closing permanently in 2005. In an area undergoing considerable development, there are concerns that it will eventually be demolished. But if new development is set to bring new people to the area, there is arguably an even stronger case to preserve the building and bring it back into community use.
Christopher Costelloe, Director of the The Victorian Society, said: ‘Victorian pubs are closing all over the country and it is no surprise that this year there is one on our Top Ten Endangered List. A particularly intractable case, this is a building of great quality where continued pub use should be viable. The right owner is needed!’
Status Update / March 2026
The building remains on the Historic England heritage at risk list and continues on a negative trajectory. A solution has been agreed, but not implemented, and significant historical elements including the Victorian bar are still deteriorating. The council is currently reviewing a planning application to convert the building into apartments, with a communal roof terrace and a flexible café or community space on the ground floor.