Some would say that the Three Pigeons pub, on Milton Common, was never the most salubrious of watering holes even when the last lap-dancer left and the place closed down in November last year.

But now the only scantily clad lady in the old pub is a Crouching Venus made of white marble, up for sale at £12,500.

Top London architectural salvage company LASSCO (the London Architectural Salvage and Supply Company) is the new landlord. The Victorian pub's three acres are already being filled with stately stone garden antiques even while they are cleared of fly-tipped waste ready for their rebirth as beautiful gardens.

Inside the pub the bar is piled high with bric-a-brac taken from old houses - and institutions - that are getting ready to meet the saints or, more precisely, the demolition mob.

Behind the bar, is a stone fireplace from Oxford University's old chemistry department.

LASSCO manager Amanda Garrett said: "Our first task is to renovate the Three Pigeons - get rid of the rats, drain the floodwater, clear the grounds.

"We plan to open formally in May but already the public is welcome to come along and see what we have for sale here.

"In time we plan to reopen the pub too. Then people will be able to come and see what antiques we have rescued and enjoy a drink at the same time."

Director Anthony Reeve, formerly of auctioneers Bonhams, maintains that LASSCO's aim is to preserve things, not destroy them. He said: "It is sad that buildings are destroyed but if we can save beautiful things for re-use, that is surely something good."

He arrived on site from London, with a pulpit designed by Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse in the back of the van, as I was half way through a guided tour with Ms Garrett and marble expert Jarek Juchniewicz.

LASSCO was started up by fellow director Adrian Amos in the 1970s, a decade in which I well remember hearing of an American and his tour guide entering St Paul's Cathedral - and buying up all the pews.

The two sold them in the USA, very profitably, along with certificates proclaiming that Royal posteriors might have once graced them!

Unbelievable things But surely since then, the flow of lovely furnishings such as fireplaces, mouldings, panelling, doors, etc, has dried up as more of us have become aware of Britain's vanishing heritage?

"Not at all. Even now, unbelievable things are going in skips," said Mr Amos.

Not that much of LASSCO's stock comes from skips these days. Being London's largest architectural salvage firm, staff hear of likely sources of fine fabric from contractors or freeholders, and enter negotiations to buy, rather than scavenge!

When I arrived at Milton Common the firm had just sold a Robert Adam fireplace for £172,000. It had been taken from Lansdowne House in London when it was pulled down some 40 years ago, when such things were out of fashion. It had then been installed in another Mayfair house which is now also coming down.

Another expensive item is a Victorian inlaid bookcase by Turner of Marylebone at £72,000. Then there are stone carvings by Sir Charles Wheeler, just arrived from Barclays Bank's former headquarters in Lombard Street, London. The bank has now moved to Canary Wharf.

But not everything at the Milton Common site is through-the-roof in price. Smoked glass to go in suburban front doors ranges from £100. And there are small items like those little signs that used to tell you whether a lavatory was engaged or vacant, for not too much money.

Pride of place on site at present are lots of display cabinets from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and, the oldest item in the pub, some 17th century carved panelling.

Mr Reeve said: "Surprisingly, it came from a much later house in Notting Hill. I don't know how it got there."

Ms Garrett said: "This place is ideal for us. Many of our customers come from around here and, of course, it gives us much more space.

"Also the communications to London are ideal, being right next to the M40."

n Contact: LASSCO, 01844 278328, www.lassco.co.uk