Artist Peter Doig and his partner, gallerist Parinaz Mogadassi, have purchased McGlynn's, a beloved London pub in King's Cross that closed after its landlord Gerry died in 2023. They submitted a planning application to restore the Grade II listed building, preserving its original character while ensuring it remains a functioning pub. Doig, who lived near the pub in the 1980s, bought the building opposite to open a gallery, with a Merry Alpern show opening October 13 organized by Tramps.
The rescue of McGlynn's matters because it counters the trend of London losing hundreds of pubs to redevelopment, with 930 closures between 2004 and 2024. Doig's personal connection and commitment to maintaining the pub's spirit—rather than converting it into flats or a generic chain—preserves a rare slice of pre-gentrification London culture. The project highlights how artists can act as custodians of community spaces, blending art-world influence with local heritage.