We all know Soho's changing, and fast. Gentrification's brought with it member's clubs, restaurant chains setting up shop and stricter licensing laws. This means it's possible to be stranded at Soho in midnight with nowhere to grab a pint.
But does Soho of decades past — fiercely independent, occasionally seedy, always flamboyant — still exist?
Antony Robbins claims it does — if you know where to look.
A former director at the Museum of London, Robbins now leads walking tours of Soho, delving into the area's past and present.
His Sex, Death and Shopping tour covers scandals of yesteryear through to present-day erotica — taking in hidden gardens, sinister histories, and little-known facts of famous places.
Soho might be very much on the beaten track, but the area still has a lot of secrets to uncover. Did you know the Marlboro Man has his origins in Soho? What the hut on Soho Square was for? Or which building has a 17th century plague pit lying underneath it?
As for the shopping side of the tour, a true a tidal wave of gentrification has hit the area, which means a lot of chain shops.
But Robbins takes his tours via some of the boutiques and start-ups proving Soho still has an independent spirit: check out the craftsmanship of Peckham Rye tailors and the erotic stylings of Coco de Mer, among others.
A bit sinister. A bit salacious. And exceedingly well-tailored.
It's a tour to have you falling in love — or lust — with this part of London all over again.
And at Londonist we're joining forces with Antony Robbins to offer exclusive Soho: Sex, Death and Shopping tours for our readers. Get tickets here.
