Taylor Walker is a chain of around 106 [1] licensed pubs in the United Kingdom, owned by Punch Taverns. They are known for serving cask ale, sharing plates and platters and British classics such as hand battered cod and pies which are among the most popular choices.
Contents |
The name Taylor Walker is taken from the famous London based brewery that was founded in 1730, in Stepney [2] and was acquired for exclusive use by Punch Taverns as a brand name in 2010, when in October 2010 Punch Pub Company took on 106 of its historic city centre pubs and badged them using the Taylor Walker name.
The majority of Taylor Walkers iconic pubs are based in London.
The Green Man is quite a common name for a pub; London itself has 30 pubs with this name alone! The original name comes from images in churches as a face peering through, or made of, leaves and petals. But, The Green Man in more modern times is associated with Robin Hood and his men dressed in Lincoln green cloth.
The road which the Green Man sits is Euston Road; this is part of the ‘New Road’ from Paddington to Islington and was opened in 1756. It was London’s first bypass through the fields to North London. Originally the road was built to provide a route for sheep and cattle to be driven to the famous Smithfield Market and for this reason the road ended at Islington where it joined the existing St Johns Street. The road provided a quicker route for army units to exit London.
Strips of terrace houses developed along both sides of the Road and in 1832 Euston Station opened to the North of the New Road. The Fitzroy Family had become the main property owner in the area and in 1852 the Road was renamed as Euston Road after 'Euston Hall' their country house.
Euston Road links onto Tottenham Court Road and during the 1960s office developments grew around this junction including the Euston Tower skyscraper that now forms part of Regent's Place, attracting a number of significant tenants, most notably the former ITV broadcaster Thames Television who had their corporate headquarters and a number of studios there from 1970 to 1993.
The Green Man has a basement bar called Porters which caters for small functions and meetings. The pub can also accommodate tour groups of up to 50 people in the function room and larger groups can be accommodated in the upstairs bar which can seat 150 people.
The Marlborough Arms is a beautiful, old fashioned pub located in the heart of London on Torrington Place. Torrington Place was built on Cantlowes Close and the present boundary between the parishes of St. Pancras and St. Gilesin-the-Fields runs along its centre, marking the southern limit of this part of the borough of St. Pancras. Formerly, the parish boundary ran south of the former Francis Street and approached Torrington Place at its eastern end. There are only two old houses left on the north side of the former Francis Street, No. 13, a large house of early 19th-century date, of four storeys with an arched doorway flanked by two windows on each side, and a similar house to the east which has two shops and is much damaged.
Ye Olde Cock Tavern, originally known as Ye Cock and Bottle, dates back to 1549 and has the narrowest frontage of any pub in London. It was originally on the North side of Fleet Street, but has been on its existing site since 1887 and was the preferred wateringhole of famous historic figures such as Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickins and Dr Johnson. The pub closed briefly in 1665 because of The Great Plague but reopened in 1668 as Ye Olde Cock Tavern and has traded as an ‘ale house’ ever since, and is the narrowest building on Fleet Street.[3]
The pub’s first famous resident was the diarist Samuel Pepys (1663–1703) [4] who mentioned in one of his works how he arrived at Ye Olde Cock Tavern by boat and dined on beer and lobster. Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) who wrote the first English dictionary and Oliver Goldsmith (1730–1774) poet, playwright and novelist were also both guests in the18th century and their friendship was said to have blossomed over an ale or two at the pub.
Other famous faces that have drank in the pub include Charles Dickens (1812–1870) and Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892). Tennyson’s work ‘Will Waterproofs Lyrical Monologue’ includes the following verse;
“O Plump head-waiter at the Cock To which I most resort How goes the time? ‘Tis five o’clock Go fetch a pint of port.”
Despite the seeing two World Wars and several fires, the most recent in 1990, many of the original features at Ye Olde Cock Tavern survive at the pub. The features include the ornate Cock above the front door carved by Grindling Gibbons,[5] the flagstone floor in the entrance and the fireplace and hearth on the first floor.
There is a ghost that is said to haunt the pub too. In 1984 ‘Goldsmith’s ghost’ appeared in the pub and caused a small panic which resulted in a team player leaving work one night and never returning.
The pub is situated in front of Temple Church which shot to fame in the book and film 'The Da Vinci Code'. Some of the film was shot on location in Fleet Street and the church itself was used in the film. Whilst filming, some of the cast and crew used the pub for refreshments including Tom Hanks and Ron Howard.
Due to the pubs location opposite The High Courts several celebrities drop in to toast their success or drown their sorrows. 2010 has brought in Ivana Trump, Pete Docherty and Robert Powell. And in 2010 rock icons Kings of Leon came in for an American ex pats Halloween party. The Sports Journalists Association regularly meet here and guests have included Martin Johnson, Ossie Ardiles, Roger Black, Rebecca Adlington and TV presenters John Inverdale and Claire Balding.
The Silver Cross is a large English pub situated in the heart of London just a few steps down from Trafalgar Square along Whitehall. Half of the pub was once a Pizzaland Restaurant before it was knocked through and made into The T&J Bernard concept over 10 years ago. Before it joined the Taylor Walker family, the original Silver Cross Tavern was very small with approximately only 50 covers, now the Silver Cross can seat over 300 guests.
The Silver Cross is said to have had a resident ghost. Over the years there have been some strange occurrences in a certain area of the pub, people have heard strange noises here and have reported pictures falling off the wall. Team players have said to have felt a cold sensation in this part of the pub and some have reported they felt as though they were being watched here. One night when a former Deputy Manager was closing up, she locked the pub doors and went down to the office to cash up the tills. When she returned she thought she saw a lady walk around the corner into the haunted area. She presumed the lady must have been in toilet when she closed up and was trying to get out so she called out, but nobody answered. When she went around to the area, it was empty. The area the ghost is said to haunt was apparently once a brothel back in 1800’s and was frequented by royalty. The ghost is said to be a young female prostitute who was murdered here.
The Audley pub is a traditional English pub located in the heart of Mayfair [6] on the corner of Mount Street with South Audley Street, just a block away from the Grosvenor Square.
In June 2009 The Audley received a phone call from the American Embassy who reserved a table. Just 15 minutes before the party were due to arrive; the pub received another phone call form the Embassy and they were told the booking was for America’s first lady Michelle Obama, her two daughters Malia and Sasha and their bodyguards and secret service agents. Michelle Obama wore a printed dress with a short-sleeved cardigan and wide belt.
The group ate in a private upstairs dining room of The Audley. The girls chose the fish supper, while their mother opted for the sirloin steak. The bill for the whole group came to a modest £200. Mrs Obama told staff she had enjoyed the 'food and the atmosphere'.
Also in 2009, famous screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, author, and playwright. Woody Allen hired the pub to shoot scenes of his movie here outside the pub. The film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, features Antony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas and others.
Other famous faces that have visited the pub for a drink include Noel Gallagher, Pink, Lily Allen, Sean Connery, Pierce Bronson and Hugh Grant.
The Audley is an immaculate late Victorian pub which fits perfectly into classy Mayfair. Inside is smart decor with Original crystal chandeliers, more like a gentlemen's club than a pub. There is a good selection of bar meals, including many traditional English dishes.