“Better a seedy Soho than a tarted-up tourist attraction like Covent Garden” so said musician George Melly in 1987.

Soho has been cleaned up quite substantially since the 1980s but its fascinating history remains.

We start our walk by discovering some of the secrets of the buildings just off Oxford Street and then venture down Carnaby Street and into deepest Soho.

On our route we will see the site of the famous Windmill Theatre and hear about the King of Soho whose astute business decisions when Soho was seedy are still reflected in the area today.

We will walk down a well-preserved Georgian street where we will hear about a notorious artist whose sex column upset a certain newspaper’s readers and see the house of an entrepreneurial 18th century sex worker and thief held in high esteem by Dr Johnson.

Towards the end of the walk we will visit Soho Square opposite the site where notorious parties took place attended by the rich and famous only a couple of doors down from the birthplace of a Lord Mayor’s son ostracized for his improper behaviour.

Due to the nature of this walk it is not suitable for under 18s.

Upcoming dates for all Joanna’s walks and virtual tours can be found on the following link. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/joanna-moncrieff-footprints-of-london-6750753789

Tours of Waltham Forest Town Hall Joanna is currently leading tours of the town hall on the third Saturday of every month up to November 2024. This is in conjunction with the London Borough of Waltham Forest. More details and booking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/waltham-forest-town-hall-guided-tour-tickets-931951220187