Soho, London Overview

Nestled in Westminster, Soho is a go-to place in Central London to experience a mix of cultures and history along with food, music, leisure and extravaganza. A labyrinth of fashion streets, great eating joints and amazing nightlife, Soho has been showing a good time to Londoners as well as foreigners.

Soho has transitioned from being a farmland in the 16th century to being an entertainment hub since the late 19th century in London. The place has offices of Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Trident Studios, along with theatres, restaurants and clubs, making it a happening place for people to visit. With a history dating back to the 17th century and for being popular in being soiled in sex, drugs and all sorts of notorious acts, Soho is now a more up-market and prominent place for people to have a good time. Having been home to people like Mozart and Karl Marx, the place is also infamous for being a red-light area, including sex shops, massage parlours, gay bars, and venues hosting burlesque shows.

History

It was in the 17th century when buildings and streets in Soho started developing. Before that it was only a farmland owned by Henry VIII, who later developed it into a Royal Park. It was during the late 17th century that famous landmark of St. Anne’s Church got established in this place. With it being the location for many leading film companies in the 20th century, it got the repute for being a sex industry. It was in the 1980s when gentrification of the area began and it became more residential, with people visiting more often to shop, eat, and enjoy.

Things to Do

- Shopping

Visit the Berwick street market for hogging on yummy street food and to pick up fresh fruits and veggies. It also has scores of places where one can shop for fashionable clothes and accessories. One can also visit Oxford Street and Regent Street for more shopping options, or Kingly Court and Carnaby Street for boutique stores.

- Food

Apart from feasting on some amazing open food stalls, Soho has some equally amazing dine-in and restaurant options. Visit The Breakfast Soho Club for, as the name suggests, breakfast and even brunch and lunch options, or if you are a foodie, explore the Michelin Star restaurants on the streets of Soho, like Social Eating House and Yauatcha.

- Bars and Nightlife

Soho has a pulsing bar and clubbing scene and one can hop from one pub to another as they all have something great to offer, right from lip-smacking cocktails to live shows and cool music. Visit 100 Club for some rock ‘n’ roll music or to The O Bar or French House for partying after hours. Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club has been known for some amazing and soothing Jazz music scenes and has hosted the likes of Ella Fitzgerald.

- Other Things to Do

If you are interested, explore the theatres at this place like the Prince Edwards Theatre, Queen’s Theatre and Prince Charles Cinema. These places are known for the screenings of some classics such as the Lion King. There are also theatres where guests can participate in quote-alongs.

Browse through the Vintage Magazine Shop which, as the name suggests, is where one can find magazines and comic books from yesteryears.

In 1997, artist Rick Buckley undertook a project dissing at the numerous CCTVs getting installed all over London, which many people saw as the invasion of their privacy and the need for the government to constantly watch its citizens. He made noses out of Plaster of Paris and put them at 35 places across London. With today only 10 present and 7 of them in Soho poking out of buildings, it will be fun for you to spot them.