Pub that was at 39 Church Road, Mitcham
telephone MIT 2660
It stood on the corner of Benedict Road and Church Road, and was demolished in around 2003. The site is now occupied by two blocks of flats.
Planning application number 3008 was recorded in the Mitcham Urban District Council minutes, volume 20, 1934, page 45, proposing the rebuild of the pub, by the Cannon Brewery, of Lillie Road, Fulham. The name of this brewery can be seen on a pub outing photo from around 1920.
Clip from Merton Memories photo Mit_Pubs_22-1
This 1896 advert of the Cannon Brewery shows its address, and the clip above part of ‘Fulham’ can be made out.
1896 ad
Clip from Merton Memories photo Mit_22_17-1, copyright London Borough of Merton. On the left can be seen part of the Lower Mitcham School, which was also called the Star School until 1966 when it was renamed Benedict Primary School. Benedict Road is between the pub and the school.
1952 OS map
It was renamed the ‘Hop Pickers’ in 1996. (Source: page 65, Mitcham Histories: 12, by Eric Montague).
Planning application 03/P1197 was registered in June 2003 for ‘Redevelopment of site involving demolition of existing public house and erection of a 3 storey building comprising 12 x 2 bed self contained flats with car parking in the basement.’ So the pub closed before the redevelopment. The flats themselves were all sold for £250,000 each in July 2005. (12 flats multiplied by a 1/4 million pounds each = £3 million pounds).
1967 British Pathe Newsreel which includes a coalman delivering to the Star. Stills.
Merton Memories Photos
1920 Annual Outing
Black and White Photo – undated
6th August 1989
Another in 1989
From the 1989 photos, it can be seen that this was a Taylor Walker pub.
Landlords from street directories unless otherwise stated
1879 : William CHAPMAN (news article)
1891 : Charles SILVYA
1896 : Albert George WAKE
1898 : Walter SEARS
1904 : John M. REED
1910 : Edward STAINES (Electoral Register)
1911 : Edward STAINES
1915 : Edward STAINES
1918 : Edward STAINES (Electoral Register)
1930 : Wm. Chas. KEMP
1938 : William Charles KEMP (news article)
1954 : H.E. GRIMES (telephone directory)
News Articles
Mitcham Herald, 11th March 1938
“STAR” BEERHOUSE,
MITCHAM.William Charles KEMP, licensee of the “Star” Beerhouse, Church-road, Mitcham, made application for a full spirit licence.
On applicant’s behalf it was stated the house already had a wine licence. There was a substantial luncheon trade, and the premises had been altered and improved recently. Within the quarter-mile radius there were more than 600 houses and 15 factories. There was a petition in favour of the application containing 261 signatures. It was estimated that the monopoly value would be £2,150.
There was trade opposition.
It was stated on behalf of the opposition that there were two fully licensed premises nearby and two off-licences, and it was contended there was no necessity for another fully licensed premises within that quarter-mile radius.
The application was granted.
Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Mitcham History Notes 
My partner’s father grew up in this pub. His dad Doug Vahey ran it for years.
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