STREETS OF SOHO
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Brewer Street, first mentioned in the rate books in 1675, owes its name to the breweries – Ayres’s, built in 1664 and Davis’s in 1671 – on its north side. Brewer Street and its immediate vicinity was also once a centre for ‘noxious trades’, for the western end was sometimes called Gunpowder or Powder Street, presumably an allusion to the saltpetre house which stood at the other end of the street in Colman Hedge Close. Since then, it has become progressively less workaday and more chic and now serves as a stylish conduit, known for its fashion stores and restaurants, leading from Piccadilly to the heart of Soho.
Approaching from Regent Street, Brewer Street starts at the historic Glassblower pub, so named because the Pilkington Bros glass company workshops were nearby, now a fine spot for a quick pint. After a smattering of half-decent eateries, you’ll start to see why the street has become something of a menswear destination: Stutterheim, cult cycling brand Rapha, Stone Island and Carhartt introduce the idea and further up the street you’ll also find the first bricks-and-mortar Stock X, Wood Wood, Palace and British fashion wonderboy JW Anderson. A little further up, and in a nod to its former more humdrum life, you’ll find two stores that have been supplying local tradespeople for many years, AZ Electrical Hardware and Romany Hardware – incongruous perhaps, but very handy!. And while the NCP Brewer Street Car Park might usually go unnoticed, in February and September it’s the unlikely location for many London Fashion Week shows and parties, while The Vinyl Factory also regularly hosts events there. Before you get to the more risqué end of the street, Lina Stores is a much-loved Italian delicatessen and pasta store, known for, amongst other things, its iconic striped packaging. And next door is Randall & Aubin, one of London’s most renowned seafood restaurants, with a loyal and long-established fanbase.
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Dean Street was built by Henry Compton in the 1690s; the ‘Dean’ coming from his role as the Bishop of London and Dean of the Chapel Royal. Many of the street’s earliest residents were French immigrants and by the 18th century there was an influx of artists and craftsmen. It quickly grew into a cosmopolitan destination that continued to attract a medley of writers and philosophers. More recently, it has been touted as the birthplace of the UK’s club culture; number 69 was once home to the decadent Gargoyle Club, founded in 1928 by the socialist aristocrat David Tennant, and became notorious for being a louche hideout for politicians, intellectuals and entertainers, popular with the likes of Noël Coward, Tallulah Bankhead and Fred Astaire.
Arriving from Shaftesbury Avenue, with Chinatown to your rear, Dean Street’s first real point of interest is St Anne’s church, consecrated in 1686, destroyed in 1940, and rebuilt in 1990. You can’t actually see the church from here, (though you can from Wardour Street) however, the entrance can be found at 55 Dean Street. Over the road, The Golden Lion pub has been operating even longer – since 1769. A couple of doors down, The French House only serves half pints in order to “add to the gallic ambience.” The only exception is on April Fool’s Day when Suggs, the lead singer of Madness (who spent much of his childhood in the pubs of Soho as his jazz singer mother lived in the area) serves the first pint. A little further up you’ll find The Groucho Club, a world-renowned private members club known for attracting luminaries from the art, literary and media worlds, and then a succession of reasonably priced restaurants: Cay Tre, Duck Soup, 40 Dean Street and Burger and Lobster. Dean Street Town House, a branch of Soho House but for non-members comes next, set in one of Westminster’s oldest houses (the original Soho House can be found just round the corner at 40 Greek Street). In 2012, Warner Bros moved its Del Lane Lea Studios into number 75. The studio, which once recorded songs by Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Queen, is now mostly used by directors such as Tim Burton and Guillermo del Toro to soundtrack their films. Quo Vadis is another legendary Soho restaurant, which now also has a members only club at the top of the building. It belongs to Sam and Eddie Hart who also own the wonderful, Michelin-starred tapas restaurant Barrafina, next door. Further on still, Soho Theatre has a year-round festival programme of theatre, comedy and cabaret and regularly offers up to six shows a night – this is the place to see upcoming acts as well as big names, who often try out their shows before the Edinburgh Festival. On the opposite side of the road, before you hit the hurly burly of Oxford Street, you’ll see some particularly fine examples of Georgian townhouses, which are Grade II listed.
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Building work started on Old Compton Street during the 17th century, but things didn’t start to take shape until the Huguenots began moving in years later (international exiles have been welcomed ever since). The street’s first real character was a cobbler named George Wombell, who started the legendary Wombell’s Travelling Menagerie in 1810. His penchant for exotic animals – which at first he exhibited in his shop on Compton Street (as it was then known) – granted him an audience with Queen Victoria and a tour of the country. Since then, the street has become the main meeting point for London’s LGBTQ+ community, and in fact it was here that PRIDE began in 1972 (officially acknowledged in 2003).
Coming from Wardour Street, especially in the evening, you’ll immediately sense a change – a relaxing of the rules perhaps. Rainbow flags hang proudly from most buildings; many of the shop fronts are raunchy, and people are suddenly everywhere. First up, Poppie’s Fish and Chips is something of a fast-food institution in Soho, the perfect spot for a hearty meal on the go. A couple of doors down, the Grand Dame of Soho, Comptons has been at the heart of the gay scene since 1986, likewise The Admiral Duncan opposite. Further down Bar Soho, Old Compton Brasserie, G-A-Y Bar and Café Boheme are all hugely popular within the LGBTQ+ community and most stay open late into the night. Algerian Coffee Stores has been there longer than anyone. It opened in 1887 and has become one of the world’s most respected coffee merchants, offering a selection of over 80 coffees and 120 teas. For something slightly stronger, Soho Whisky Club is a private members club with over 600 open whisk(e)y bottles and a splendid selection of cigars. Further down, The Prince Edward Theatre is one of London’s largest and most impressive Art Deco venues, and as you cross Greek Street you’ll find a number of decent Asian and international restaurants (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Among them, La Bodega Negra might be one of Soho’s worst-kept secrets. Those in the know enter what appears to be an adult video shop before disappearing into a subterranean drinking den, famous for its Mexican-inspired food and cocktails. At the Covent Garden end of the street, The Coach and Horses is well-known for its cabaret shows, but not to be confused with the other, arguably more famous, pub of the same name, just round the corner on Greek Street.
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Berwick Street is believed to have been named after the Duke of Berwick, an illegitimate son of James II, who may have been a protector of the ‘papist’ (as Roman Catholics were known at the time) James Pollett, upon whose land the street was first laid out. Today, it is perhaps best known for its food market, one of the oldest in London, and its record stores. Indeed, during the street’s Britpop heyday it came to be affectionately known as ‘the vinyl mile’. It is here, on the corner of D’Arblay Street that Oasis shot the cover of (What’s the story) Morning Glory. Maybe not quite as famous as The Beatles’ Abbey Road, but you still see fans recreating that cover to this day.
Coming from Oxford Street, Berwick Street only really gets going once you cross Noel Street. The Green Man pub has been there since 1738 and opposite, the Misan Brothers have been supplying beautiful fabrics to the world’s leading designers in fashion, film, TV and theatre for over 40 years. They have a fabric shop at the top end of Berwick Street and a textiles shop at the bottom. In between you’ll find a strong selection of menswear shops including A Day’s March, Nudi, Sandqvist, Oliver Spencer, Universal Works and Folk. A little further down you’ll find Sister Ray and Reckless, two of London’s most popular record shops – both plying their trade on Berwick Street since the ‘80s. Sounds of the Universe is another, much further down and specialising in reggae and dub. Halfway down the street you’ll get to Berwick Street Market, one of London’s longest-running markets, dating back to 1778. Here you’ll find a cluster of food stalls offering delicious cuisines from around the world, as well as a number of fruit and veg merchants, some of whom have worked on the market for decades. Robin Smith, owner of Soho Dairy – a market stall located not far from where dairy cows once grazed in Kemps Field back in the 17th century – is one such example. Smith is also Chair of Berwick Street Traders Society but is best known for supplying ‘supermilks’, biodynamic eggs, artisan cheeses and some of Soho’s best coffee to the local community (us included). Leanna Gellel of Leanne’s Flowers is another. She’s been there since 2000, but recently moved to a new stand just outside Broadwick Soho’s front doors. Her bouquets are stunning (and reasonably priced), and you’re likely to spot a few around the hotel. Alongside the market there is a succession of vintage stores – Reign, So High Soho, Dunno Curated are among the best and often stock high-end designer brands. Soho Islamic Centre is also close to the market and sometimes gets so busy that worshippers spill out to pray in the street. And finally, just before you reach the bawdy Walkers Court (home to The Box Soho, a cabaret venue on the site of the former Raymond Revuebar, London’s most infamous theatre and strip club) which leads onto Brewer Street, Gosh! Comics has a range of graphic novels that is arguably second to none.
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Carnaby Street is perhaps best known as the epicentre of the Swinging Sixties, the spiritual home of the Mods, Skinheads, Punks and New Romantics, but things weren’t always so dandy on Soho’s most famous street. Founded in 1682 by bricklayer Richard Tyler, Carnaby Street was home to London’s first “pesthouses”, built especially for victims of the Great Plague. During the 1700s it became a market selling meat, fish and vegetables, before being overshadowed by the world’s first purpose-built shopping street, Regent Street, in the 1800s. Only in the 1950s, when John Stephen (the King of Carnaby Street) opened His Clothes at 5 Carnaby Street did it become one of London’s foremost fashion destinations, attracting the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and The Kinks. Today it mixes international fashion brands, cult labels and the odd artsy pop-up. Its seasonal street decorations are especially Insta-fabulous.
Coming from Great Marlborough Street, there’s no missing Carnaby Street. It might be slightly tamer than it once was, but there is still a real buzz around the place and is always teaming with life. Liberty, the fabled luxury department store, straddles the corner and marks the start of the street – it remains one of the world’s truly distinctive shopping experiences. A little further down, Shakespeare’s Head is a lively old boozer – very old in fact. It’s been there since 1735 when it was owned by Thomas and John Shakespeare, distant relatives of the Bard. Size is the first of the shoe shops, closely followed by Irregular Choice (irregular by name and indeed nature), Mallet, Birkenstock, Camper and Dr Martens. Many of the big fashion brands follow, including Diesel,Replay, Levi’s and Vans, alongside a few you see a little less of: Scotch and Soda, The Kooples, Nobody’s Child and Monki. The Rolling Stones made Carnaby Street their stomping ground during the ‘60s and have opened an official store halfway up. And at the Beak Street end, Sweaty Betty has a wonderful flagship store, where upstairs you’ll find a branch of Notting Hill’s popular Farm Girl Café and the Duck & Dry hair salon.
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Connecting Leicester Square and Oxford Street by way of Chinatown, Wardour Street is one of Soho’s longest and most fascinating streets. Building began in 1686 at the behest of landowner Edward Wardour but took some decades to complete. By the 19th century, the street had become rather shoddy, awash with second-hand furniture stores and antiques shops, and it remained that way until Charles Urban set up a film company there in 1908. Over 20 companies followed – including Warner Brothers and Hammer Productions – and suddenly Wardour Street became better known as Film Row. The musicians followed and so did the louche jazz bars – most notably Shim Sham Club, The Flamingo Club and The Marquee Club, often described as the most important venue in the history of pop music. Sadly, they are no more, but there are plenty of great options in their place.
Coming from the bright lights of Leicester Square, Wardour Street starts with M&M World, officially the largest candy store on Earth – it’s a far cry from the lantern-clad stretch of Chinatown that’s up next. Bizarrely, Waxy O’Connor’s, one of the UK’s best-known Irish bars, has outposts on either side of the street as you enter Chinatown, and a little further down there’s also an O’Neill’s. But other than that, Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants dominate the street for as far as you can see. Old Town 97, Viet Food and Misato are among the best, but if you think you can do better, take a right down Gerrard Street where you’ll find dozens more options. Crossing Shaftesbury Avenue, with the Sondheim Theatre (originally the Queen’s theatre, currently showing Les Misérables) on your left, you enter Soho proper. Passing St Anne’s Church, a cornerstone of the community, you’ll reach The Duke of Wellington, Village, Soho Residence and Freedom Bar, a cluster of Soho’s most popular LGBTQ+ venues. A little further up, House of Minalima is something of a Mecca for Harry Potter fans – you’ll often find queues snaking down the street. Shopping isn’t as much of a thing on Wardour Street although there is an incredible Yamaha shop should you be looking for a new guitar or piano; Stüssy has a store, and Amathus is the kind of bottle shop where you might end up spending more than you probably should. And finally, just before you get to Oxford Street, if you’re partial to a salt-beef bagel, be sure to stop by Tongue & Brisket – it’s halal too.
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Before we opened, helping to shine a light on one of Soho’s unsung thoroughfares, Broadwick Street was best known as the source of 1854’s cholera epidemic. Building first started here in 1686 and at first it was a fashionable place to live, but by the middle of the 18th century it was mainly occupied by tradesmen and shopkeepers, with a large brewery taking up several buildings on the south side of the street. Between 1961-1974, it was home to the British Flutemakers Guild, and for many years was the home of Hearst Magazines (publishers of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and many others). More recently it has become known for its cool restaurants, designer boutiques and discerning guests.
Coming from Wardour Street, you’ll see Broadwick Soho directly in front of you, and while the temptation may be to make a dash for the doors, take the time to get a feel for the street. First up, Agent Provocateur, purveyor of beautiful, fancy undies, and a gentle reminder you’re in Soho. Across the street, record shop Sounds of the Universe boasts the UK’s largest collection of world music, with a particular focus on Latin and African soul and jazz. Studio Nicholson is the first stop for men’s and women’s fashion and for our money, the most elegant too. There are a handful of Blue Post pubs in central London, but the one on the corner of Berwick Street has been a Soho institution since the ‘60s. It may or may not come in useful as it’s directly opposite Broadwick Soho... Next door to us, The Ivy Brasserie is the iconic chain’s Soho outpost, serving good food from breakfast through to evening, but it’s got some stiff competition as a number of great restaurants have arrived on the street. Temper has become one of the city’s leading steak joints (especially if you like yours done on the barbecue), Brindisa is a much-loved tapas mecca, and new kid on the block, Inko Nito, has very quickly made a name for itself with its brand of “unconventional” Japanese food. A few doors down, our friends at Soho Radio broadcast around the world – Groove Armada's Tom Findlay, UNKLE's James Lavelle, Jim Sclavunos of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and DJ Norman Jay MBE all have shows there. And on the corner of Lexington Street The John Snow pub is an ever-popular watering hole, named after the English physician who identified the cause of the cholera outbreak. For high-end streetwear, chaps need look no further than Axel Arigato, End and Percival. Or, for something more Paul Weller-esque, Sherry’s has been kitting out Mods since the ‘70s.