Ye Olde Swiss Cottage pub, Finchley Road: Lamp post removed

Ye Olde Swiss Cottage served its last punters last night (February 1), after owners Sam Smith’s Brewery decided to suddenly close the pub.

The historic chalet-style pub is a landmark destination which gave its name to the Swiss Cottage underground station. 

Following news of its closure, pubgoers told the Ham&High “we are all shedding a tear”.

But it seems there was no period for mourning for the watering hole, as just one day after shutting its doors, lampposts by the pub have been pictured being removed.

A lamp post is being removed a day after the closure of Ye Olde Swiss Cottage (Image: @Tabss273) Historically, Ye Olde Swiss Cottage served traditional English bitters to working men coming in and out of London, and also housed a dairy selling milk and cheese.

Camra said on its website the inn was built in 1830 by T Redmond and it stood next to a toll gate; travellers would stop at the tavern while waiting to pay their fees.

The consumer organisation adds: "There had been a gabled building on the site called Lausanne Cottage said to have been used by Charles II as a hunting lodge and there may have been an earlier pub called the Swiss Tavern."

 The closure of the pub means that the North Star is the only remaining watering house on the road.

Sam Smith's Brewery did not respond to a request for comment.