Pub Help - Old Compton St., London
 

I'd appreciate the advice of Fodorites on the name of a pleasant, even posh, pub to go to for pre-theatre drinks on on near Old Compton St. Many thanks.

There are lots, and they're not all gay bars, although quite a few along Old Compton St are. You could just walk around and see what takes your fancy.

Try http://www.fancyapint.com and click on the location list for Soho.

Old Compton St is basically a street of bars and restaurants. It depends what sort of thing you are looking for. As Patrick has mentioned it is the heart of gay London. The bars and pubs range across the spectrum from hard-core gay (Compton’s) through happily mixed (Admiral Duncan) to not-very gay at all (White Horse).

I’m straight and I quite often meet friends there. The pubs I tend to use are The Spice of Life (just an ordinary pub – nothing special). The Coach and Horses (in Frith St) which is an authentic glimpse of how Soho used to be. The French House (not a pub – a wine bar and very busy), Molly Moggs (at the top in Charing Cross Rd) which is a tiny, fun place.

For a more upmarket experience you might like Balans which is a restaurant/cocktail bar (mixed crowd).

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm going to be in the area for a few days so will be able to try out most of the very excellent suggestions.

BTW, a friend has suggested the Ship or the Dog and Duck - what do you think of these two ? How far are they from OCS?

Thanks again

the ship's in Wardour St so VERY close to OCS. It's a nice traditional pub. It's small though. Nice beer - Fullers. Straight crowd (if this is important to you).

The Dog and Duck is in Frith St (a side st to OCS) and is full of absolute tossers. Google the term "Nathan Barley" (not while you're at work) and it will tell you all you need to know about who drinks in the Dog and Duck.

I know far too much about London's pubs.

DavidWest, too funny. Are you telling us YOU are really Nathan Barley in disquise?

David thanks so much - we'll duck the dog ! straight or gay, I really don't care, but I wouldn't want the nathan barley crowd

Patrick: Believe me. My life really couldn’t be further from Nathan Barley’s. I do not own an iPod. I haven’t owned a scooter since I was seven years old. I do not have a Hoxton Fin cut (or any hair at all for that matter).

In fact I would rather put tin-foil in my fillings than go to Hoxton or Dalston. I don’t even pretend to like Japanese food or manga. I think that a musician is someone who plays an actual musical instrument – eg bloody record players don’t count.

I was around in the 70s and 80s so I don’t think that starsky and bloody hutch or puff-ball skirts are “retro”. I think they were pony then and are pony now. Don’t even get me started on the Rrse wine craze…what next? Angel delight? Black forest gateau?

The street from Soho Square that has the poxy Groucho club on it is Nathan Barley hell. The bars near there and Ronnie Scotts are the 9th pit of hell – the pit with the web designers, advertising “creatives”, PR boys, DJs, Club promoters, publishers assistants, snotty nosed “new media” magnates and the whole coked-up, small-cocked bunch of ‘em.

One hand grenade. Is that too much to ask?

David – clearly in need of anger management courses.

Rave on, david. Brilliant!

Ooh - david! :-X I think I have a crush on you! :D

Well, you're best to have a drink in the dour (they're all dour), dreary theatre bar. They're reasonable, but then the product is below average.

As for a "posh pub". I wasn't aware such a thing existed. Even gastropubs aren't posh. Well if gay men are your thing then hop into any pub in Soho. I like the member's bar Milk and Honey, and if you're handy with a telephone you can make a resevation as a non-member pre-11pm which would fit your time frame nicely. The place is incredible.

For those of us who spend too much time in the sticks, quite like bits of Hoxton really, liked Ronnie Scott's when he was alive and always used to be fond of Angel Delight (Butterscotch was best, and all the flavours were a lot nicer than Instant Whip anyway):

- What's Rrse wine? And what's wrong with Black Forest Gateau?

Isn't anything sacred? David'll be having a go at M+S chicken Kiev next.

I think that David's been at "Strongbow no nonsense cider".

And just how does MK2 know about Strongbow, I wonder? Care to fill us in on White Lightning, or Buckfast wine...?!

Hoxton is beyond the Pale. The thought of it brings me out in spots. In fact today’s Guardian Society supplement (I have to read it for work – honest) actually has on it’s front page the headline “Hoxton – there goes the neighbourhood” and when an area is too poncey for the Guardian’s bleeding-hearts then it has seriously jumped the shark.

“Rsre” wine is Rose wine (never let a lack of typing skills get in the way of a good rant). The berks who are drinking this Ribena substitute this time around obviously never had any involvement in the great Matteus Rose scare of the 70s. At least you could make table lamps out of the bottles back then.

Nothing wrong with Black Forest Gateau? You’ll be eating Duck a l’orange next. It will be like being in Abigail’s Party.

Ronnie Scots is an overpriced hellhole full of ponces in polo necks. When the best jazz in Soho is played in a Pizza Express, you know how far Ronnie Scott’s has fallen.

Here’s a symptom of the ongoing surrender of Soho to the Poncerati: The Coach and Horses has been a mainstay of Soho life since, well since forever really. However the Landlord – dear old Norman – has decided to flog it, as he can’t cope with the nonsense he has to put up with nowadays. Once the C+H has gone (and the French House is now full of accountants and their PAs) then Soho will be no more. The council has even driven the tarts out of their flats.

And Strongbow Mr Kingdom? Strongbow is for jessies. Real men drink Diamond White. From the bottle. In a bus shelter. And shout at the traffic. Care to join me? Shall we say about six?

Very funny...have not seen the word berk in ages. Do they use tool and spoon in the UK? These words are dying o
in Dublin and when someone used them recently desacribing someone we were in stitches (had to be there). I now know where to go when in soho again. It's been a while and I was taken to an array of places gay and straight but just walking around you will find places that appeal to you.

David - are you sure you were not out in Dublin last Sat night when I was going by in a bus at 1am...all too familiar!

Hi David! Love your messages, just can't understand them. Can you please translate your colorful terminology?
"Jessies" "too poncey for the Guardian’s bleeding-hearts then it has seriously jumped the shark." "flog" "tarts"

Please enlighten me! Thanks!

In London we shout at buses (The big red bastards). In Dublin they throw stones at them. It's a cultural thing.

A “Jessie” is a soft lad. A mummy’s boy. A weed. The sort of chap who always had a note from matron excusing him games. Think Fotherington-Thomas in the Molesworth books (which are grate, as any fule kno)

“Poncey” that relating to ponces.

Ponces: Up their own fundament, self-regarding, poltroons. Men who spend £50 on a hair cut. People who think that Damien Hirst is an artist. People who claim to like sushi (behave yourselves – it’s raw fish for God’s sake). Tom Paulin is the king of the ponces.

The Guardian is a left wing rag read only by lefty bleeding heart social workers and teachers, and, of course, ponces. It’s media supplement is the ponce’s bible. So anywhere that these people find poncey is too poncey for words.

Flog: Sell

Tart: A lady of negotiable affection.

Thanks, David. I spent August in London at International House as a teacher trainee. Lots of my fellow students were from London. Sometimes I felt we were talking two different languages (mine is US). Boy, did I get the Mickey taken out of me. Loved it. Miss it. How I yearn to go back to Ye Grapes or King's Arms in Shepard's Market.

Shepherd's market as in a man who herds sheep. Obviously you don't have them in the US although Bush's election would suggest otherwise.

Shepherds Market is where the tarts have gone!

Right. Sorry about the misspelling. I've lived in Europe for the past 20 years but never had so much US bashing as in the last two. However, I've also learned that it's only the government that is bashed, and not really its citizens. I think that's because we've all had our share of unpopular political heads.

Hey David, besides the strip joint, I didn't see any tarts roaming the streets in the afternoon. Just lots of men in suits and ties. However, I've heard that it does have a "reputation."

It used to be the place for whores, but these days it's really rather savoury, and even has a couple of good tailors, and a shoe/leather designer called Georgina Goodman. Her pieces have a very continental feel about them, and the workmanship is superb. So if you'd rather have an alternative to Jimmy Choo heels that everyone's wearing try Georgina Goodman for something more exclusive.

Thanks for the entertainment, David ! "Poncerati" :-)

Shepherds Market is running alive with tarts (I do REALLY have to know this for work purposes. Yes REALLY).

They don't stand around swinging their handbags saying "helo sailor", but take a look in the hallways of the flats with open front doors and you will see what I mean.

It is where the flat-trade (as opposed to the street trade) prostitution has gone, since westminster started using Planning legislation to empty out the tarts flats in Soho.

Having said that, it is quite discrete, and you wouldn't really notice unless you were looking. It is a nice area with some interesting shops and restaurants etc. It's a nice evening out. Id recommend it as a trip if you have time.

Many thanks all - I have to tell you I now know too much about pubs in Soho and Covent Garden ! Among the pubs I sampled and enjoyed were

- The Ship (now under hoarding for renovations so a bit hard to find)
- Three Grayhounds - very fine and they had Adnams on tap
- Punch and Judy
- Blue Posts
- Bar Italia (best coffee in London)

and a few other spots whose names escape me. I also enjoyed the elegant little bars at the Prince Edward and Drury Lane theatres.

I wanted to try m_kingdom2's recommendation for the Milk and Honey but left it too late. I did however have a wonderful Saturday lunch with old friends at the Wolseley which he/she has recommended in the past.

Merci beaucoup, fodorites.

I just saw this post, and I must say David your rant was suberb: Poncerati, hah, too funny.