Open House Festival

Refugees, Radicals and Revellers in Soho

Tottenham Court Rd station exit 4, W1D 2DH

what3words: simple.atoms.milky

Hear about the history of Soho on a walk around some of the sites associated with colourful characters yesteryear. From Soho's beginnings as a fashionable suburb in the seventeenth century up to the 1950s, I regale you with delicious snippets of history. We end the tour with the option of refreshments at the birthplace of British Rock n Roll.

Getting there

Tube

Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road

Train

Charing Cross

Bus

139, 176, 24, 29

Additional travel info

Meet opposite exit 4 of Tottenham Court Rd Tube Station, at the entrance to the Outernet. Finish near Piccadilly Circus.

Access

Accessibility notes

Those in wheelchairs to be accompanied, please.

What you can expect

Pavements narrow in places and can get busy. Opportunities for sitting/refreshment along the route, if all agree! Comfortable shoes.

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Activities

Tue 15 Sep

Guided tour

11:30–13:00

Refugees, Radicals and Revellers

A guided walk around east Soho

How to book

Bookings will open at midday on 19 August. You won't be able to book a ticket before then.

Thu 17 Sep

Guided tour

11:30–13:00

Guided tour

A guided walk around East Soho

How to book

Bookings will open at midday on 19 August. You won't be able to book a ticket before then.

About

A Social History of East Soho

Hear about the development of Soho, when it was laid out on fields during the reign of the 'Merry Monarch'. From Soho Square, we explore the narrow streets of the area, stopping to contemplate the locations of some iconic events in Britain's history: Peter Cook's ground-breaking comedy club; the shooting of the symbolic image of the 1960s; the birthplace of British RocknRoll. See the drinking spots frequented by some of the movers and shakers of the 20th century, the residence of an impoverished Karl Marx and more. Peppered with amusing anecdotes, we'll explore Soho's fascinating history as a place where people could throw off society's restrictions.
Comfortable footwear and a drink required.

Nearby

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