A few weeks ago we nipped into the Gunmakers on Aybrook Street for a swift afternoon half and soon realised we'd parked ourselves next to a black cat, curled up on the adjacent leather banquette. Investigation revealed that this was Purdey, the pub's cat, and very long-suffering he was too, submitting to strokes and tickled ears when he clearly just wanted a nap.
We started wondering how many other pubs have cats hanging around – for a start there's the famous Tom Paine at the Seven Stars off Fleet Street, often seen sporting a white ruff. Presumably just biding his time until he can unleash revenge on the puny humans who put it on him.
Lenny (grey and white) and Patches (black and white) both live at the Pride of Spitalfields; Scooterworks cafe on Lower Marsh also has a resident moggy. (Edit: we're now reliably informed Scooterworks has three kittehs.)
There are sightings of cats at:
- The Pelton Arms, Greenwich (see photo 18 of their gallery)
- Old Kings Head in Shoreditch
- Blind Beggar in Whitechapel (which, given its history with the Krays, is probably happier with dead mice than dead... other things)
- There's a tabby at the Anchor and Hope in Charlton
- Confirmation of one at Walthamstow's Nag's Head, though we never got its name
There's also a nice story (though not, as far as we know, a cat) at the Cat's Back in Wandsworth, which apparently got its name after the landlord's pet wandered home after going missing for several weeks.
We're sure there must be more pub cats in London than this: tell us where they are!
Photos by dalekhelen from the Londonist Flickr pool, Rachel H and @bitoclass (with permission).
