Receivers Auction Four Flats Above Leslie Arms After Croydon Council Blocks Office Use
Anwar Ansari’s property companies face enforced sales as six firms enter receivership, including the Grade II-listed pub’s residential units.
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Four flats above the Grade II-listed Leslie Arms pub in Addiscombe will be sold at auction on 20 August. The sale is being conducted by receivers acting on behalf of companies linked to developer Anwar Ansari, whose property empire has seen at least six firms enter receivership.
The flats, valued at £650,000, are part of a wider enforced disposal of assets tied to Ansari’s businesses. The auction follows the withdrawal of the entire Leslie Arms building from a June sale, where it had been listed for £1.45 million. Ansari did not explain the withdrawal, as reported by Inside Croydon.
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Council Refusal Leaves Ground Floor in Limbo
Croydon Council refused planning permission for office use on the Leslie Arms’ ground floor, according to records cited by Inside Croydon. Despite this, the space remains occupied by a company linked to Ansari. The basement is also not included in the upcoming auction.
The refusal adds to the site’s complications. The Leslie Arms, a Victorian pub on the corner of Cherry Orchard Road and Lower Addiscombe Road, has been vacant for years. Its condition led to its inclusion on the Victorian Society’s ‘at risk’ register, as noted in Inside Croydon’s reporting.
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Receivership Spreads Across Ansari’s Portfolio
Public records at Companies House show receiver action against at least six companies connected to Ansari. These include Cygnet House on Sydenham Road, Metro Point, and East India Estates Ltd. The properties were part of a portfolio once valued at £90 million, Inside Croydon reported.
Ansari, 68, has served as a director for over 80 companies, many of them project-specific vehicles under the ‘AA Homes and Housing’ brand. Sources told Inside Croydon that over-borrowing and falling property values contributed to the financial strain. A criminal conviction in 2025 for failing to control three Anatolian guard dogs at his Coombe Farm home further restricted his access to lending.
Other properties tied to Ansari are also being sold. These include the Rockwell Green Water Tower in Somerset, another building on the Victorian Society’s ‘at risk’ register, and a plot of land near Wetherby Close. Two garages on Southbridge Road failed to sell at auction after failing to meet a £75,000 reserve.
What Happens Next
The auction of the Leslie Arms flats will proceed on 20 August, as listed by Allsops. The ground floor and basement remain under the control of the receivers, but no further sales or planning applications have been announced for those spaces.
Croydon Council has not indicated whether it will take enforcement action regarding the unauthorised office use. Residents can monitor planning applications via the council’s public portal. The Victorian Society may also update its ‘at risk’ register following the auction.
Questions this report answers
+Why are the flats above the Leslie Arms being sold?
The flats are being sold by receivers after six companies linked to developer Anwar Ansari entered receivership. The sale is part of an enforced disposal of assets to address financial difficulties, as reported by Inside Croydon.
+What will happen to the ground floor of the Leslie Arms?
The ground floor is still occupied by an Ansari-linked company despite Croydon Council refusing planning permission for office use. No further planning applications have been submitted, and the space is not included in the 20 August auction.
+How many properties are affected by the receivership?
At least six companies tied to Anwar Ansari are subject to receiver action, affecting properties including Cygnet House, Metro Point, and the Leslie Arms. The portfolio was once valued at £90 million, Inside Croydon reported.
+Can residents object to the auction or planning decisions?
Residents cannot object to the auction itself, but they can monitor planning applications via Croydon Council’s public portal. Any future applications for the Leslie Arms site would be subject to public consultation.
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