Ep 22 Soho Pub Crawl Pt 1 - The Coach & Horses, The French House

Let's visit what might be the two most famous pubs in Soho -- The Coach & Horses on Greek Street and The French House.  We discover lots of interesting characters have been patrons
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Google map with pubs covered in previous episodes pinned, courtesy of Andy Meddick:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=12c-WKa3XiT1qTLydK8psZocUR7Y_Wes&usp=sharing

Or TinyURL: https://tinyurl.com/bduca5dv

The following resources are referenced or quoted frequently in these episodes:

• Ted Bruning  -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
• Wikipedia
• https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/  by Ann Laffeaty (French House)

Additionally, the  following resource(s) were used / quoted in this episode:

Jeffery Bernard Doc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doA__PRdZ-Q&t=908s&authuser=0

Jeffery Bernard is Unwell (play):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6cYbZe1WYU&authuser=0

Tweety’s Pubs – Why are there so many Coach & Horses: https://youtu.be/NtE03V0sXLw?si=D4odW6oSOKPVpdsz

https://mysohotimes.co.uk/2024/02/26/the-colony-green-club-my-soho-times/

https://www.whatsonstage.com/shows/london-theatre/west-end-theatre/norman-balon-its-all-true_292090/

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/whats-on-news/london-pub-you-used-able-20625964

Intro music:

Vivaldi - Spring Allegro by John Harrison w/ the Wichita State University Chamber Orch

Photo:  Ewan Munro

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

Transcript

Welcome to this episode of The Historic London Pubcast. I'm Eric Blair, and I'd like to take you on a journey through the rich history of London's iconic pubs. My goal is to share with you my passion for the great old pubs of London. I want to give you some facts to help you appreciate the history of these hallowed establishments mixed in with some fun stories that make it all go down as smooth as a well poured pint. 

Today we're going to cover two of the best-known pubs in Soho. But before we pop in, let's talk a bit about the district of Soho itself. I asked AI to describe the location of Soho and got a pretty good answer, 

“Soho is in the heart of London's West End, just north of Trafalgar Square. It is a compact district bounded by Oxford Street to the east, Shaftesbury Avenue to the west, Charing Cross Road to the south and Regent Street to the north.”

Okay, so now a bit about its history. Soho was converted from farmland to a Royal Park in 1536, under the direction of Henry The Eighth. The name Soho first appears in the 17th Century, and is thought to have been derived from a former hunting cry. Apparently, it's a good name for a city district. It has been taken by other entertainment and restaurant districts in Hong Kong, New York, Malaga, Spain. The Pittsburgh neighborhood, now called Uptown, was also formerly called Soho. London’s Soho, originally established as a park in the 16th Century, began to develop as the years went by. After Henry The Eighth, subsequent Royals began to sell off parts of Soho, and the district began to see churches, squares, and big houses for the gentry pop up. The Earls who developed the area intended Soho to be an upper-class estate comparable to Bloomsbury, Marylebone and Mayfair, but it never developed as such.

Immigrants began to settle in the area from around 1680 onwards, particularly French Huguenots. The area became known as London's French Quarter. Other nationalities settled in Soho as well - Greek and Italian immigrants. So, by the 18th Century the district was a cultural melting pot, and aristocrats had checked out to more fashionable areas such as Mayfair. By the 19th Century, Soho became noted as a hub for entertainment with theaters, music halls and cabarets.

That's the plus side. But the district also gained a reputation as a center for vice and prostitution, a legacy that persisted into the 20th Century, and in the mid-1800s, the district was deemed ground central for the Cholera outbreak in the 1850s. Good news that scourge was brought under control, and the hero got a pub named after him. We'll talk about that in the Second episode on Soho. 

By the 20th Century, Soho still had its sultry side, but was generally viewed as a happening place. It became a haven for artists, Writers and Intellectuals, with famous residents like Virginia Woolf and Dylan Thomas. Think of it as the spillover from the Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia crowd, replete with the Bohemian characters that make that group so fascinating. Also, Water Street became the heart of the British film industry. George Street and the surrounding area developed into London's Chinatown, offering authentic Chinese cuisine and cultural experiences. So, you could summarize by saying that the area thrived as a center for music venues, nightclubs, bars and attracting a diverse crowd. 

Now that we know a bit about the background of the Soho district, let's start with what is arguably the most famous pub in Soho - The Coach and Horses.Okay, put that into Google Maps and let's head right over. Oh, wait, there are at least three pubs in Soho called The Coach and Horses. In all of London, one source estimates there are 50 pubs named that. Why so many? Some names were a remnant of the coaching trade were inns and taverns servicing travelers, but in Soho, space became somewhat restricted. 

Remember, coaches required big thoroughfares in which to operate, and parking lots that could accommodate their wide turning radius. According to YouTube's Tweedy Pubs (see the link in the notes), the Soho pubs were probably named for their location around coaching stands, the cab stands of their day. Lots of those in a busy district like Soho, so lots, or at least a few, pubs named The Coach and Horses.

Okay, with three to choose from, which one do we go to? Answer the most popular - The Coach and Horses on Greek Street. A pub with that name at this location goes back to 1724. The current building was constructed in the 1840s. There were rebuilds and remodeling carried out in 1889, and again in 1930. So, what you see today is still largely the 1930s version. Per Tweedy's Pubs,

“This pub used to have three distinct sections, each with their own entrance, public bar, saloon and private bar. Part of the bar has a white marble trough that was used as a spittoon. It is an interesting interior and one you feel at home in.”

Remember my AALP Process for why a pub is special? That is explained in the Trailer Episode.If you haven't checked it out, it only lasts two-minutes. Basically, the letters stand for Architecture, Antiquity, Legend, and Personalities. It's that last one that's the big tick box for this pub - Personalities. There are several associated with this pub, but two stand out. The first is the long-time Publican, one Norman Balon. Norman started working at the pub when he was 16 in 1943 and never left until he retired in 2006 at age 80. Last reports are that he is still going strong. If my math is right, he would be 98 sometime this year. Norman prided himself as being London's rudest Landlord, and even had that printed on the matchbooks in the pub. I try not to use swear words in these Pubcasts, but Norman sure did. So, excuse my workarounds as I relate some of the Norman stories. He was quoted as saying, 

“I am rude by nature. I have no patience for anybody.”

And it was not uncommon to be in the pub drinking when Norman had a row with a patron. It would always conclude with, 

“You’re barred, now F off.”

Now the next quote uses the plural of the C-word, which I will bleep out.

He had a loyal group of Regulars, but becoming one was not something easily obtained. When talking to Norman one time, a patron referred to himself as a Regular. Norman stormed back, 

“You’re not an F’ing Regular. Those beep down there (pointing to a group huddled at the end of the bar), now, they’re F’ing Regulars.” 

Norman was a traditionalist, only serving beer. Once someone asked him for a Snakebite, a classic beer mixture composed of one-half Lager and one-half Cider. His response?

“We don't do cocktails here. Now get out.”

Norman became famous. Or maybe infamous. He wrote a book published in the early 90s entitled, “You’re Barred, You Bastards. The Memoirs of a Soho Publican.” In recent years, Norman inspired a play. The Author was the man who took over Norman's place as Publican when he retired, Alistair Choat. And it was entitled, “Norman Balon – It’s All True.” It was performed for one night only at The Shaftesbury Theater. The website What's On Stage described it as, 

“Irreverent, littered with profanity, hugely entertaining, shocking, surprising, very funny, and all true” It tells of his life and love affair with Soho, the Coach and the people that drifted through. The play is a tribute not only to Norman, but also to Soho and its unique creative social impact on the life of London.”

So that was The Coach and Horses Unique Personality Number One. It's a hard act to follow, but I think I can. Personality Number Two is one Jeffrey Bernard. Here are the key points from Wiki that describe Jeffrey and his path to The Coach and Horses.

“Bernard was born in Hampstead. He attendedPangbourne College for two years before his college career ended. The institution deemed him psychologically unsuitable for public school life. Even while at school. Bernard had begun to explore Soho in Fitzrovia at age 14, with his brother Bruce, seduced by the area's lurid glamor. He moved there at 16, supporting himself in a variety of jobs that were at odds with his middle-class background, including boxing, both attendant building laborer, dishwasher, stagehand, kitchen assistant, and even coal miner. In 1964, a friend suggested to Bernard that he tried Journalism, so he started to write about his interest in horse racing in Queen Magazine. One assignment was to interview a man named Peter Mackay, who was in hospital. Mackay was a horse racing tipster that had become somewhat of an institution on the British racing scene going back to the 1920s. He went by the flashy name Prince Monolulu. Jeffrey brought along some chocolates and when Jeffrey gave him a strawberry chocolate, Monolulu choked to death. Despite this setback, Jeffrey continued to prosper as a Journalist, working for several other print outlets before landing a job as a weekly columnist for the news magazine The Spectator. His column there was entitled, “Low Life.”” 

His writing was quirky, so I prompted AI to give me a description of his column and got back a pretty good summary, 

“Jeffrey Bernard's Low Life column was a weekly feature in The Spectator magazine from 1975 until his death in 1997. Known for its raw honesty, dark humor and unflinching self-examination, the column chronicled Bernard's life as a self-destructive alcoholic and his experiences in the seedy underbelly of London's Soho district. The column was a mixture of anecdotes, observations and musings of his life, love, and the pursuit of oblivion. Bernard's writing style was often meandering and stream of consciousness, reflecting the chaotic nature of his life. He was known for his acerbic wit, his ability to find humor in the darkest of situations, and his unflinching honesty about his own feelings. Low life was a cult hit, and Bernard's fans admired him for his bravery in laying out his struggles with addiction and his willingness to confront his own mortality. The column was also controversial. Some critics accused Bernard of glorifying alcoholism and self-destruction. However, many others saw it as a powerful and honest portrayal of the human condition.”

See, AI does live up to some of the hype.

Wiki tells us that with a steady job in place at the spectator, Bernard became a Regular at  The Coach and Horsesas well as The Colony Room and The French House. However, he became to favor The Coach and Horsesabove other venues later in life. Over the years, Bernard built a circle of friends and associates that included Actor John Hurt, Dylan Thomas, painters Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, Queen of Fitzrovia Nina Hammett (we discuss her in The Fitzrovia One Episode), and Authors Graham Greene and Ian Fleming. He was just about a daily regular at The Coach and Horses. 

He was such a character that in 1989 a stage play was written where he was the central character played by Peter O'Toole, and the dialog was mainly based on what he had written in his column. It was a hit and ran for several years. Since there have been London staged revivals, a BBC Radio version and a New York version with different Neil leads. The entire play takes place in The Coach and Horses. The set is faithful to the real thing and the play is entitled, “Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell.” That title phrase was what The Spectator magazine would print in place of his column for the issues where Jeffrey had missed the deadline. 

I find his writing very amusing. You can watch the full original play with Peter O'Toole as the lead on YouTube. See the link in the notes. You might want to start with a TV Documentary, also linked,that runs about 20-minutes and gives you a look at the real guy before you see the O'Toole performance of him.

Needless to say, Jeffrey and Norman Balon got along famously. Jeffrey and the Bohemian crowd also had another favorite pub, properly known as The French House, but most often referred to as, “The French Pub.” There were also off-hour boozers in Soho, most notable The Colony Room. We really should get to those as well. But first let's wrap up The Coach and Horses.

After Norman retired in 2006, Alistair Choat, the guy who would eventually write the play about Norman, took over running the place. At some point, Fuller’s gained ownership and allowed the existing lease to run out. That happened in 2019, and it was announced that Fuller’s would then take over operation of the pub. Alistair, the Manager, and most of the locals were not happy about that. There was not much they could do, but they tried. They got a license permitting full nudity while in the pub, the first pub to do so in Britain, and then started monthly nude singalongs. As mylondon.news tells it, 

“The Fuller’s takeover might have been just an auxiliary reason to go The Full Monty. The idea was inspired by the pub's nude charity calendar, The Beauty and the Beasts of Soho, which featured some of the pub's regulars completely starkers in order to raise money for the homeless charity Centrepoint. The pub even held a naked singalong to protest against Fuller’s breweries buying up the pub, but it was all to no avail. Fuller’s took over anyway.”

So, let's put on our pants and move on, but let me first say, don't be put off that the pub is now run by Fuller’s. They're doing their usual fine job of running the pub, and you should put this one on your list for your next Soho visit. Norman and Jeffrey are long gone, sadly, but good news, you’re unlikely to be cursed at, no matter what you order. 

A two-minute walk away is The French House. This pub started life in 1891 as The York Minster, and was run by a German with a stout German name, Mr. Schmidt, until the First World War, when ownership and operation was turned over to a more politically correct Belgian, Mr. Berlemont. His appearance trademark was the eccentric mustache that he sported. The bill of sale is posted on the wall of the pub still today. As The York Minster, it attracted both the Bohemian characters and the French folks in London. Supposedly, Dylan Thomas got so pissed there one night that he left his script for Under Milk Wood on a stool. During World War Two, the French Opposition forces and Belgian officers favored the pub, and it is said that General Charles de Gaulle wrote his famous rallying speech Et Tous Francais there, but that might be more of a legend than a fact. Even with the name The York Minster, the regulars always referred to it as, “The French pub.” So, when and why did the name officially changed to The French House? Well, that happened in 1984, when the original Mr. Berlemont’s son Gaston had taken over running the place. That year there was a fire that caused severe damage at the real York Minster.

Blogger Ann Lafferty tells the story well from that point, 

“The pub's landlord, Gaston, was somewhat perplexed when he started receiving cash donations toward the repair of his premises, but being an honest fellow, he contacted the Cathedral to explain the situation and to return the money. Only to be told that cases of Claret intended for the pub had been turning up at The York Minster for some time. Presumably the Cathedral staff were ignorant of their London namesake and had accepted the wine as some sort of divine gift. Anyway, Gaston decided to take no further chances and officially changed the pub's name to The French House.”

So be it The York Minster or The French House, generations of Writers, Artists and other Bohemian types included this pub in their Soho jaunts, but for more than one, until the late 80s, regulation got in the way of reveling in the form of restricted hours for pubs. By law, they could not stay open all day, mostly closing after lunch until happy hour. What is a thirsty bloke to do? Well, those in the know in Soho would scoot over to the drinking clubs, basically low affairs where libation service was not a problem.

There were several of these establishments. The most famous were The Colony Room Club. Wiki tells us, 

“The Colony Room Club was a private member's drinking club at 41 Dean Street. It was founded and presided over by Muriel Belcher from its inception in 1948, until her death in 1979. Among the artsy set, the club became known just as Muriel's. Its long-term popularity amongst London's Bohemians lasted for 60 years and is widely credited to the exclusivity resulting from Belcher's charisma, strong personality, and daunting door policy as a tough, sharp veteran of the Soho drinking club scene. Her autocratic and temperamental ownership created an ambiance which suited those who thought of themselves as misfits and outsiders.”

Belcher had a knack of attracting or discovering interesting and colorful people. Further, the patronage of men such as prominent Jazz Performer and Critic George Melly and Artist Francis Bacon helped to establish The Colony Room’s close-knit community. The usual suspects from The Coach and Horses were all members, including Jeffrey Bernard. Visiting non-members included many names from aristocratic, political and artistic circles, including Princess Margaret, avantgarde Author William Burroughs, David Bowie, and prominent French Photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

So, the Bohemians got cursed out by Norman Balon at The Coach and Horses until 2 p.m. or so, and then staggered over to Muriel's for further abuse. They all seemed to love it. It must have had something to do with the main ingredient in the libation they share. The Colony continued to operate after Muriel's death under the leadership of two Barmen who stepped up to the Manager's role. But in 2008, the club did not renew its lease, citing financial pressures. So, The Colony Club was not a pub, it was a private drinking club, and it has been closed for almost two decades. So why have I mentioned it here? For a couple of reasons. First, like The Coach and Horses, The Colony and other drinking clubs in the area were an integral part of the Soho scene in the post-World War Two period.

The Bohemians, their drinking habits and the pubs and clubs they frequented, are all part of the fun history of the area and reason number two, although today we can't visit Muriel's club, we can visit the next best thing - a revival club named The Colony Room Green, a 12-minute walk away in Mayfair. Nicholas Cox, who knew the original Colony in Muriel's time, wrote in mysohotimes.co.uk about his visit to the revival club, 

“Down a flight of stairs led to a door with a sign reading Colony Room Green. We stepped through it, and if it hadn't been for the smell of fresh paint, I'd have sworn we'd travelled back in time to the original Colony Room Club.”

His article is linked in the notes. He poses a couple of questions. They’re probably on all our minds.

First, is this a private member's drinking club like the original? No. It's free to enter with no reservations. And most importantly, the second question. And this is where I have to use my imitation of Muriel's voice in reply. Would Muriel have approved of this homage to her humble establishment? Oh, do dry up, dear, Cox concludes, of course she would.

The Colony Room Green only started in 2023, so I have not had the chance to check it out, but it is on my list for the next visit to Soho. It does sound like a hoot, doesn't it? So, there you have it, dear Listeners, from a famous patron standpoint, probably the two most popular pubs in Soho and the new version of a club that was equally popular in its day.

I hope you enjoyed our tour. These are all great places, but when it comes to Soho, I have some personal favorites, and I'd like to share those with you. So, this episode is Soho Number One. Check out Number Two where I discuss my Soho darlings. Be sure to like, thumbs up, subscribe, and all that as you see fit.

My email’s in the notes, hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com.

I'd love to hear from you. Until next time, Cheers!