Abbey Road Beatles’ crossing wins English Heritage listing alongside pubs and a church

THE Westminster zebra crossing made famous by The Beatles must be preserved for future generations, experts from English Heritage said this week.

The crossing and adjacent Abbey Road Studios were included in a list of buildings and street features that now enjoy special protection after being awarded listed status in the past 12 months.

Others include the Victorian George pub in D’Arblay Street, Soho, noteworthy for its eye-catching red-brick exterior with cream stone banding – a decorative device known as “streaky bacon”.

Another pub, the Duke of York in Holborn, which dates from the 1930s, was given protection as part of a larger “mixed use” scheme. 

In the ground floor, architect DE Harrington built a block that included flats, offices and the pub: a complete new building. And Harrington took further care to use three different styles to fit in with what was there already: one side is built in brick and stone to match a Georgian terrace next door, the homes at the back of the site were kept modest on size to match those around them, while drinkers in the Duke of York would have been impressed with the interior’s modern design, which English Heritage says remains in place today.

Architectural historian Hannah Parham, who advises Whitehall on whether buildings should be given listed status, said: “It has a great interior, with the original lino on the floor which is very jazzy in cream, pink and black. The interior also still has the original bar, panelling and seating booths in the saloon.”

Also in the list was the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Borne Street, Belgravia, which was founded in 1874 to serve the large population of domestic staff employed in the mansions of the area. Ultimately it became equally popular with wealthier residents who donated funds to extend and embellish it.

As part of her work, Ms Parham has to run the rule over 2,000 buildings each year – two thirds of which are eventually rejected. 

The criteria for listing are wide but age is obviously important.  Any dating from before 1840 is likely to get protection owing to the fact it is likely to be rarer. 

Councils and civic groups working together can set up a Local Listing Scheme, said Ms Parham. “Local listing systems are popular,” she said. “Many councils have them. If they are up to date they can help offer planning guidance and help protect buildings that mean something to the area but may not quite meet the national criteria.”

Westminster is currently considering such a scheme.

Published: 15 July 2011
By JOSH LOEB and DAN CARRIER