A South London pub dating back to the 19th century has been reopened as a community space, with the managers hoping the spot eventually becomes the “most inclusive pub in London”.
A new community pub, The Star of Greenwich, has opened on Old Woolwich Road in East Greenwich.
The historic boozer, originally called Star and Garter, dates back to the 19th century and had been closed since August 2021, before reopening as the new pub at the end of April this year.
James Gadsby Peet, 38, started the new pub alongside Kirsty Donohoe and Lisa Dunlop. He said that the trio sought to reopen the historic pub when Ms Donohoe described the space as an “asset of community value”, and they realised the opportunities the space had as a meeting spot.
Mr Gadsby Peet said: “Our theory, I suppose, is that the more people that can meet one another, who wouldn’t normally meet one another, the more conversations, the more understanding there is, the better that helps the community be more resilient and just a nicer place to be.”
The pub managers have set themselves the challenge of becoming the “most inclusive pub in London”.
Mr Gadsby Peet said that since opening, the charity English for Action London has been allowed to use the space free of charge, with parents being able to leave their kids in the children’s play area while they learn English.
Mr Gadsby Peet said: “A lot of the people that are trying to learn English are young parents, and so they can bring their kids whilst they have those conversation classes.
“It’s a safe space for them. The kids are entertained and they’re not trying to do it in a coffee shop, which doesn’t really feel welcoming.”
The pub also hopes to work with a number of food-related charities down the line to help train individuals to get into the catering industry.
Mr Gadsby Peet said the pub plans on offering food at non-fixed prices so that any resident can afford lunch.
Kirsty Donohoe, 44, said that giving locals a safe place to eat is a priority for her and the other managers.
“We’ve got a lot of food banks, obviously, because of the current climate that we have. But then also people living in London could be in a room where they can’t cook for themselves and they’re either having to eat out or they’re having to buy sandwiches and things like that. [The Star of Greenwich] is making an area that people can feed themselves,” she said.
By offering food at a reasonable price and a safe space for those relying on food banks, Ms Donohoe said the pub can become a hub for locals of all backgrounds to integrate.
Mr Gadsby Peet recalls a time when a younger patron became friends with an 89-year-old man, who had been a regular customer of the pub since the 1950s, after meeting at Star of Greenwich.
He said: “It’s exactly those conversations across generations, across different perspectives, that would never happen without spaces like this. I’d say that’s what we’ve always been aiming for.”
Ms Donohoe added: “It’s seeing in the bigger picture of what our society is like, and what we can do to help people in society and low paid jobs with low incomes and things like that.
“To make people feel a bit more valued that there are things out there. A church hall is a bit different from a pub and sometimes it’s about the environment that you’re in. Some people don’t want to do anything religious, so maybe this is a bit more accessible.”
The managers said the landlord, Greenwich Hospital Trust, has been very supportive of the initiative.
Ms Donohoe said Greenwich Council has also been an invaluable source of information since they approached the authority in April last year.
“We’ve been very lucky in the fact that the people that we spoke to understand our vision, and what we’re wanting to achieve and how we’re going to achieve it,” she said.
“I think they’ve been very welcoming and understanding towards us.”
Mr Gadsby Peet said he and the other managers feel like the “luckiest ones” out of the whole scenario.
He said that by being in the centre of the project, they have gotten to see the organic connections forming between locals firsthand.
“I think a lot of pubs aren’t really set up for that these days, there’s a few aspects for that,” he said.
“Firstly, a lot of it is around catering, more of a transactional food and dining thing, which is fantastic. We all go to pubs and we all eat in pubs and it’s lovely, or you’re going and you’re having a lot of drinks and you’re meeting friends.”
He added: “I think the idea of just coming and being in a space is less prevalent than it once was, but actually I think some of that is starting to come back.”
A Greenwich Hospital Trust spokesperson said: “The lease to the Star of Greenwich is on commercial terms. Greenwich Hospital (together with their managing agents, Knight Frank) is proud of our track record of working in partnership with local occupiers to get exciting new ventures off the ground, and we are delighted to see retail businesses open and thrive in the Greenwich community.”
An East Greenwich Residents Association spokesperson said that the group were glad to have the historic pub back in business and wished it every success in its future.
Greenwich Council was contacted for comment, but had not responded at the time of publication.
