Contact friendsofthegipsyqueen@gmail.com for more information! 

For over 150 years, there has been a pub at 166 Malden Road. In the 1850s, it opened as the Gipsy Queen, becoming The Westport Inn and The Bluebell, before proudly reclaiming its original name a decade ago. 

It’s long been a true neighbourhood venue for generations of residents in Gospel Oak and Camden and a fixture at the heart of our community. 

However, this is now under threat. 

On May 14th, the pub announced its sale to new owners, with the doors closing for the final time last Wednesday. Since then, both residents and regulars have been left wondering just what is next for the pub, with uncertainty surrounding the new owners’ plans for the site. The only thing we do know is that, for now at least, The Gipsy Queen is shut.

We cannot allow this to be permanent. 

By securing Asset of Community Value (ACV) status for the pub, we can work towards protecting its future. Immediate redevelopment would be prevented, as well as granting our local community rights to bid on the property for up to six months should it be up for sale again.

We’ve seen in Gospel Oak just what can be achieved when local residents, groups, and councillors work together with the local community at heart. Take a look at the School of Mosaic, repurposed from a disused car park to community spaces and workshops in the undercroft of Ludham, as well as the bridge to Hampstead Heath from Savernake Road, transformed through art by local children supported by HvH arts.

We must do the same for The Gipsy Queen, or risk losing a true neighbourhood pub.

That’s why I’ve launched this petition to show community support for ACV status. Sign it, share it, and let’s secure the future of The Gipsy Queen.