Holly Bush, Grade II listed pub in Hampstead, England
Holly Bush is a pub in a Georgian building in Hampstead, London Borough of Camden, listed as a Grade II protected structure. Inside, original wooden floors and open fireplaces run through several levels, each divided into small, separate rooms.
The building was put up around 1790 as a private home and later used as assembly rooms for the Hampstead community. It became a pub in 1928 and has kept that role ever since.
The Holly Bush sits in a quiet corner of Hampstead and feels more like a front room than a typical London pub. Its small separate spaces encourage sitting in small groups and talking, which has long been the habit in this part of the city.
The pub has several small entrances and spreads across levels connected by stairs, so finding a seat can take a short exploration. Evenings and weekends fill up fast, so coming earlier in the day gives a better chance of settling in comfortably.
Before it became a pub, the building is said to have been home to the painter George Romney, who used some of the rooms as his studio. That connection to the art world of the 1700s is not visible today, but it adds a layer to what looks like a straightforward old pub.
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