Last weekend, I visited London for the third time ever. However this trip was a bit different than the last two. Perhaps it was the weather. It was incredibly nice the entire time without a drop of rain. Or perhaps it was the beer. This time around we decided to go on a Soho Pub Crawl and it was quite a blast.
Where/what is Soho?
Soho is a neighborhood in London full of history and character. Our tour guide told us that the name actually comes from way way way back when they used the grounds for hunting. This was back when London wasn’t the city it is today. Isn’t it crazy imagining cities like London and New York as farmland? It always blows my mind because they’ve just been so densely populated for so long. Anyway, so when it was just land, people would yell Soho during hunting. It’s much more interesting than where the Soho neighborhood in New York gets it’s name (just simply short for South of Houston Street).
The start of the Soho pub crawl
The pub crawl was with a company called Urban Adventures. They actually give tours all over the world. I’ve worked with them both in Budapest and Prague before, so I figured why not see what they have to offer in London? Their tours always have a nice personal touch to them. It just feels like a friend showing you around their city.
We met in Piccadilly Circus, which is right in the center of the city. It’s the square that is sort of like Times Square in New York. There are tv screens with advertisements … just not as many as in New York. There’s a tube stop, so it’s super easy to get to. Our tour guide Linton was holding an umbrella that said either “tours” or “tour guide.” I cannot remember, but it was very easy to spot.
A little neighborhood history
Our first stop was a little courtyard in the neighborhood. One thing our tour guide commented on was how quiet it was. It was just a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus. I bet you can’t say the same for a courtyard a stone’s throw from Time’s Square. I also think that that could be because someone somewhere is always honking a horn in New York City. I digress …
In this courtyard, we had a look back into the history of the neighborhood. Soho was once a working class neighborhood. Whole families of 9ish people shared one room at this time. What did that mean for the people? Disease spread like crazy. There was a cholera outbreak in the 1800’s. In 1952, there was the Great Smog of London. Basically a thick layer of pollution was over the city for about four days in December. This affected a lo of residents in Soho and some passed away.
After this history lesson, we were off to our first pub! The first spot was a Samuel Smith pub. London is expensive. However it doesn’t have to be if you know where to drink. Samuel Smith pubs are all over England and are known for offering affordable beer. How can they do this? Well they don’t play music or have tvs. Our tour guide Linton was telling us that in the UK, you have to pay a tax if your business plays music or has a tv. So they save money each month by having neither of these things.
Basically a Samuel Smith pub is where you’ll see the average Joe enjoying a pint. At this stop, I enjoyed a Sovereign Bitter.
The music of Soho
Throughout the Soho pub crawl, we stopped at various famous spots in between beers in famous places. We made a stop along the famous Frith Street. Did you know that Mozart lived there? I didn’t either!
Ronnie’s Jazz Club is also on this street. Many famous people have performed there. Artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Prince. The last person to perform there was Jimi Hendrix in 1970.
If Mozart and Jimi Hendrix weren’t enough for you, there’s one more important thing that happened on Frith Street. John Logie Baird, the inventor of the television, lived at 64 Frith Street. In 1926, he demonstrated the first working television to the Royal Institution. So symphonies, television, and rock and roll all happened on this street. Pretty crazy!
The beer
We made a total of four beer stops along the Soho pub crawl. It was a day tour, so I found that I had to pace myself if I wanted my photos to turn out halfway decent. We stopped at the Coach & Horses. Here we were able to sit outside in the sun. We also befriended a nice couple also enjoying a drink there. After that, we stopped at the Dog & Duck.
The Ship
Our last stop on the Soho pub crawl was a place called the Ship. Much like the rest of Soho, this bar is full of history. Just next door is the famous Marquee Club where many famous people have performed. Bands such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, the Who and Pink Floyd have all spent time on stage there. So of course many of them came over to the Ship to enjoy a drink or two.
We had a great time on a Soho pub crawl with Linton from Urban Adventures. One thing to note is that the beers are not included in the price of the tour. So just make sure you have some cash with you!
Have you explored London’s Soho neighborhood? Have you visited any of these historical places? Would you go on a Soho pub crawl?
We were guests on the tour. All opinions are my own.
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