It was Dr. Samuel Johnson, the famous 18th century scholar, who proclaimed “There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn." Well you can visit Dr Johnson’s ‘local’ on one of our city pub walks, and it's much as it would have been in his day, but not so over 99% of the others; and the old gentleman might well have been horrified by what has happened to many of our pubs in the last 50 years, with a rapid pace of change affecting pub interiors so that the majority have little of historic interest surviving.

Our Speciality: London's pub heritage

From great gin palaces ablaze with glass, mirrors and woodwork, to more modest workingmens’ beerhouses, our pubs have suffered at the hands of modernisers, pub companies and breweries who have greatly damaged our pub heritage. Our walks take you to some of the best survivors in London. Unlike other city pub walks, our walks focus fully on the pubs themselves- their architecture, internal layout, and their place in our social history. We offer private guided tours (and occasional special events) tailored in terms of time and area to your requirements, or we can advise you on the type of walk to suit. You can look at some of the best surviving 'gin palaces' left in London, with their wealth of glass, mirrors and woodwork; decorative tilework, once very common, thirties survivors, or good modern conversions. A few pubs still have the once ubiquitous compartments and rooms so typical of the late Victorian period, but these are now very rare. Or if it is 'snob screens' you want to see, we can oblige!

The most popular tours last about 2-3 hours and take in several pubs from different time periods, showing the development of the pub as a social institution. We can cater for anyone from individuals to business and corporate groups, although it is recommended that numbers not exceed about twenty!

We can also offer.....

• Tours which focus upon beer first and foremost. if you want to take in a few alehouses and sample a wide range of british (and other) beers, we can accommodate you.
• Pub walks around some of London's histroic suburbs, such as Greenwich, Richmond, Wimbledon and Hampstead. Or try some of the less well-known suburbs that other tours never reach, like Croydon and Carshalton.

Other towns and cities?

Pub walks in other UK towns and cities may be possible subject to commitments. Please enquire!

The Cost?

Obviously better value for larger groups but very affordable even for individuals and families. Our best customers are couples from North America! Contact us with your requirements and we will get back to you with suggestions and a quote.

A taster

The Red Lion is a Victorian gem, one of London's best preserved pubs. Aletrails' Bob Steel explains why it is so small and so grand.

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