Fire tears through London pub popular with Aussie expats

A west London pub adored by Australian and New Zealand expats has been destroyed after a fire ripped through the building just after midnight on New Year's Day.

Hundreds of people were evacuated when flames tore through the Aeronaut pub in Acton, formerly Redback Tavern and The Gin Palace, just minutes after midnight on New Year's Day.

Eight people were rescued from the blaze, however no one was injured, according to the London Fire Brigade.

"As you might have heard our New Year has started in a very upsetting way, but we're also counting our blessings," a statement on the pub's website read.

"The building we love so much has been extinguished by the incredible firemen who acted so quickly.

"At this point we don't really know how bad that damage is, but for the moment we're concentrating on people."

Twitter user Eve Atkinson posted a live video to social media of the three-storey building as it went up in smoke.

Sydneysider Nick Greally said: "All my (limited) memories burnt down."

The pub had been a popular haunt among Aussie and Kiwi revellers for decades, renowned for its karaoke nights and cheap snakebite drinks.

It was also a much-adored band venue, with UK musician Matt Blair tweeting he was "shocked and sad" after being rescued from the roof of the building having performed there earlier that evening.

"RIP Redback Tavern. I feel the need for a snakebite to commiserate," Queenslander Martin Brears said.

"I know it's stupid being sad about a pub burning down, but there were SO MANY MEMORIES in this place," Rachel Murphy said from Sydney.