The Churchill Arms

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The Churchill Arms, June 2012. Churchill Arms, Kensington, W8 (7459617058).jpg
The Churchill Arms, June 2012.
Campden Street side The Churchill Arms - Notting Hill, Kensington - panoramio.jpg
Campden Street side

The Churchill Arms is a public house at 119 Kensington Church Street on the corner with Campden Street, Notting Hill, London. There has been a pub on the site since 1824 when it opened under the name of the "Bedford Arms" but by 1826 it was renamed to the "The Churchill Arms [1] [2] . Situated at 9 Peel Place, Silver Street, Kensington Gravel Pits. [3] In popular culture it was alleged it was called the "Church-on-the-Hill", and received its current name after the Second World War. [4] This is refuted by references to it being called the Churchill Arms throughout the 19th Century [5] and it was referenced as such in 1914 in the Official Gazette. [6] In the 1930s it had its ground floor elevation added with good stained glass whilst the Victorian stuccoed upper story is original. [7]

It is known for its exuberant floral displays, and extravagant Christmas displays in the winter, [8] and has been described as London's most colourful pub. [9]

The Churchill Arms is managed by Fuller's [10] and has a Winston Churchill interior theme. [11] The Churchill Arms claims to have been the first London pub with a Thai restaurant, having served such food since the early 1990s or earlier. [12] The Thai restaurant is decorated with live flowers and plants.

The pub is decorated with all types of things associated with Winston Churchill, [13] and falsely claims that Churchill made wartime broadcasts from the venue. [12] Churchill's grandparents, the 7th Duke of Marlborough and Lady Frances Anne Emily Vane, were patrons of the pub in the 19th century. [12]

References

  1. "Post Office London Directory (Small Edition), 1852 - Page 269". leicester.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  2. Consultations, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea-Planning. "List Consultations". planningconsult.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  3. "Kensington Gravel Pits", Wikipedia, 27 December 2024, retrieved 16 February 2026
  4. Smith, Ronald A. (1988). Churchill: images of greatness. Kevin Francis Pub. ISBN   9780951076866.
  5. "Post Office London Directory, 1882. [Part 3: Trades & Professional Directory] - Page 432". leicester.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  6. "Official Gazette, Page 2757". 31 March 1914. p. 2757. Retrieved 16 February 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Conservation area appraisals, proposal statements and management plans | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  8. Saffron Alexander (9 December 2016). "The Churchill Arms: Britain's most festive pub?". The Telegraph. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. "Landlord of London's most colourful pub stepping down after 32 years". Standard.co.uk. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  10. "The Churchill Arms - Fuller's Pub and Restaurant London". Churchillarmskensington.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  11. "Tanya Gold reviews The Churchill Arms, London - The Spectator". The Spectator . Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 Finamore, Emma (8 December 2016). "5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Churchill Arms". Londonist. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  13. "The Churchill Arms - London, XGL".

51°30′25″N0°11′41″W / 51.5069°N 0.1947°W / 51.5069; -0.1947