"Today is our last day on the premises and then we have to give it back to the owners. They want to turn it into flats, they don’t want it to be a pub anymore, so we were given notices to leave… On the 19th October 2024, we lost our case, and they gave us 2 weeks' notice to leave… They have nowhere else to go… Lots of them is asking, what am I going to do now on a Friday night? Because they are so used to just coming to the Flower, Friday night has always been our busiest night, when we are always packed, you don’t see floor space, you just see people."

- Mrs Francis

Black pubs, like the Flower of Kent, have been important gathering spaces for Black communities in London, offering a place to relax and connect. These pubs are often multigenerational, serving clients from ages 20 to 90, they are places where members of the community can come together with their friends and neighbours for music, parties, games, Caribbean food and more.

Mrs V Francis has a history of working at and managing Black pubs in the area including the Golden Archer in Nunhead, the Red Bull Walton Castle, Dartmouth in Catford Leyland Road, the Royal Standard in Tanners Hill, the Albertine Pub, the Pointers Bar in Ladywell and finally the Flower of Kent, many of which have since closed or been repurposed.

Before closing, the Albertine was known for its events, such as Reggae Karaoke nights, where people of all backgrounds came together. Tracey Jarrett aka Sista Jah Sun Ray remembers the Albertine as a place where black people gathered every week to socialise over a drink, have good conversation, eat Caribbean food, drink Stone Ginger Wine, a space submerged in Caribbean culture, a place to feel accepted, a home from home, a safe space which supported the mental wellbeing of all those who visited.