Protesters fight to save historic Aldgate pub Still and Star from developers

Londoners are campaigning to save a City pub from closure in a fight with developers who wish to turn it into an office building.

Campaigners organised a protest drink-in this week in objection to developers’ plans to demolish the building and construct offices on Aldgate High Street.

The Still and Star dates back to the 1800s and is where parts of Robinson Crusoe were written.

Joe O’Donnell, from campaign group Victorian Society, told London Live: “The Still and Star is really important because it’s a very rare survivor of what was once a very common type of pub that was everywhere.

“It’s got a real sense of history – there have been so many important historical things that have happened here.

“A famous French Victorian illustrator even drew this pub on his journey around London, looking at all the ins and outs of the city. It was also where Robinson Crusoe was partially written.

“There were previous plans for a huge office building – what they want to do now is create one huge block so not only would you lose the pub, you’d lose this historic little pattern of alleyways and turns which have been in the city for hundreds and hundreds of years.”

Director of the Victorian Society, Chris Costelloe, said: “We think it’s the only pub in the country that’s called the Still and the Star.

"The Still refers to the fact that they distilled the spirits for the pub in the upstairs room, and the Star refers to the Jewish community around here – the City of London’s main synagogue was in the area.

“These interesting corners are what make the City an attractive place for people to work in, and not just bland.”

Geoff Brandwood, from the pub heritage group CAMPRA, told London Live: “We’re losing pubs at an astonishing rate – the loss of places like this is a terrible, terrible thing in our heritage.

"A pub like this has got special qualities and it is still viable, but we need people to support the campaign to save this pub.”