The Tour
There are strong and long-standing connections between booze and the Borough, the area just to the south of London Bridge. Being an ancient approach road to the City, Borough High Street was famous for its inns. They accommodated travellers coming into London, and were the forerunners of today’s hotels – and motels.
Former London Hop and Malt Exchange
The Borough is an area redolent of beer and brewing, of hops and hospitality. This tour picks up on the traces of the past, as well as celebrating the present.
Brewers at the Anchor Berwery
Join me on a stroll down Borough High Street taking in the sites of inns. Once coaches, travellers clutching to their roofs, erupted from these narrow thoroughfares, setting off at first light for the southern counties.
Traces of hop factors’ businesses evoke images of laden wagons arriving from Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
A memorial lists hopworkers of the area lost to the First World War; the local trade itself was to follow them.
This tour tells of London’s largest brewery, and of a very dangerous umbrella. And of course we pass a number of welcoming pubs, so do take note – especially if you’re not in a rush to get away afterwards!
For a taster of this tour, click HERE to read my Footprints of London blog item about a family at the heart of the hop trade.
If you like this …
Other Charnowalks which go south of the River include A Dickens of a City and Shakespeare – for All in All
Details – Booze and the Borough
Please go to What’s On? to see whether this tour is currently on offer, and for booking details
REMEMBER that these details are NOT for the virtual version of this tour!
MEET: Outside London Bridge Post Office, 19A Borough High Street SE1 9SF – details HERE
Duration: Two hours (approximately)
Finish: Borough Market, near London Bridge station
If you have any questions about this tour, please contact me
Pictures © David Charnick 2023
