This pub is not only a grade II listed building, it is also a Three Star pub on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Inventory with an interior of outstanding national historic importance, and the description is as follows: “Right by South Kenton station this is a good place to see how a typical large, inter-war suburban pub was planned and fitted up. It was built in 1938 or 1939 and is a large, red-brick, Dutch-gabled structure. There are three bars. The public bar, facing Windermere Avenue, is only used for parties and other functions. On the station side there is a saloon bar with a lounge behind. Original features include the large inner porches, bar counters, back fittings, wall panelling, wavy cornices, doors between the saloon and lounge, fireplaces (charming pictorial tiles with windmills in the saloon fire surround), and, in the saloon, an advertising mirror over the fireplace with Courage cockerel and a clock: the shape of the top reflects that of the gables outside. Sadly the original tiling in the loos was covered over by new work in about 2013. The only significant change is the loss of the off-sales compartment which has been incorporated into the public bar. The fixed seats are additions and the superstructures on the saloon and lounge counters look like work of the 1950s or 1960s.”

The listing description is as follows: “c.1938, designer unknown. Brown brick, tiled roof. EXTERIOR: main entrance faces north: central shaped gable above four matching windows at first floor level, three at ground level to right of door. On either side, double doors set within red brick surrounds with overlights, single windows to either side, long windows arranged 1-3-1 at first floor level. Near-identical east and west sides with continuous rows of windows at ground and first floor levels; blind arch rises into gable on east side, blind panel with a pair of windows at second floor level within the west side gable. Tall chimney stacks. INTERIOR: retains many original features, including panelling, veneer-covered or glazed doors, bar fronts with foot rests, mirrored behind-bar counter, plasterwork, etc. Three bars: public bar facing Windermere Avenue, saloon bar to north, lounge at rear to south. The lounge is a particularly good survival, while the saloon retains a tiled fireplace surround with decorative tiles depicting windmills, and a gable-shaped mirror above. The public bar is given a more traditional, less Deco treatment than the other bars. HISTORY: probably designed for the Courage brewery by a staff architect, the Windermere is an uncommonly good survival of a 1930s suburban public house retaining many of its original decorative features. It was designed in the Dutch style, and is a picturesque composition, fusing Art Deco and historicist elements together. The building, unusually little altered, demonstrates the efforts breweries went to at this time to create attractive drinking places for an expanding suburban clientele.”

The WhatPub link is here: WhatPub/Windermere

The Pubs Heritage Group link is here: PHG/Windermere

The Windermere featured on the Daytime Crawl of Outer Northern London on 13October 2007, the Metroland: Daytime Crawl of West Middlesex on 15 October 2016, and the Metroland Revisited: Daytime Pub Tour of West Middlesex on 19 October 2024.

Exterior Public Bar Lounge Saloon Bar Saloon Bar Mirror