I lived in London for 36 years before moving to the Wirral earlier this year. I was one of the main movers and shakers in the Bear movement.The reason bears happened in London was bars like the Village and Ruperts bar discriminated if you were bigger, bearded and didn't fit their code. The original bear bar was called the Empire, it ran from 91 to 99, various clubs appeared, Chunkies, Bilk and XXL all were very successful. The Kings Arms has been the bear bar now in London, for over 20 years. If you both had been there 1 hour later it would be packed and even more outside. It never ever has happy hour and it is expensive, most bring a bottle in their handbag. It is not a tourist venue so it doesn't have to have all that silly bear paraphernalia you see on the continent, but it is what it is and folk who are bears, bigger or like them love it, much more than the Duke of Wellington which is very young and cliquey, the other bars you reviewed and preferred would never be frequented by bears because of the unpleasant history, in the past bars in soho had signs no beard or facial hair.
Thank you John, that is very interesting. We didn't know that bars actually used to ban people with facial hair. That is appalling. Despite our reservations, The Kings Arms was certainly very popular. You did make us laugh 😂 when you talked about bears sneaking drinks inside there handbag 👜 We shall bear 🐻 (sorryl) that too in mind for next time 🍔
The King's Arms (or Charlie's Guns to his friends) was shaping up to be my favourite. How could it not be? Mandy Dingle and Bears - a match made in gay heaven. Or Heaven. But you quickly burst that bubble. Anyway, many years ago, before I got my "style" on, I was prevented from entering a premises in Soho for not "fitting the image". I need a wee trip over to London, to close that circle... (not traumatised or anything like that...). Gorra love a good happy hour.
Hi Justin. We've been hearing that bars used to ban people with beards in the old days. That is appalling! The Kings Arms was very popular, we were just upset by the price of the drinks 😆 xx
I haven't been drinking in SOHO for yonks! I spent a lot of the mid eighties and early nineties in Comptons! I remember when The Village opened and it felt like the end of the good old bad old days of SOHO, but it's stayed the distance and I guess we did deserve cleaner, brighter places to meet up. Shame that you didn't like the King's Arms, it's a bit of an institution - been going a very long time and has always been a pub without pretentions, it was a place that you could go and have a drink with other blokes after work and no one judged you because of what you were wearing etc. It is a 'bear' bar, but not in the sense of the bars you mention which are really more like clubs. Anyway we can't all like the same things huh?! 🤣 SOHO isn't the first place I'd choose to visit these days as I remember how it used to be, but of course we can't preserve places in aspic and ultimately the only constant is change! Thanks guys for bringing us down to see it - hope yous have a good week. 🙂
Cheers Colin. The Kings Arms was very popular. We don't think we picked up the right vibe when we were there. And the drinks were way expensive 🫰. We are hearing from other viewers about the discrimination there used to be in London against people with beards. We were appalled. 🐻👍❤️
@thechatterguys I can remember in the 80s and early 90s the scene in London at least was more tribal (probably because we had so many venues) so bars could turn people away if their look, gender etc. didn't match their ethos. Sometimes that was a good thing and sometimes not! 🙂 West End drinks prices are insane aren't they!!? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hi Colin and Tim Great review as always guys, I agree 100% a drag queen or drag DJ really makes the difference and draws people in, plus they are so entertaining. Now bar wise the first was the best, and great value for money, and I know this is a vlog on bars, but I loved that cake shop, and paused the clip a few times to look at all there delicious offerings. One thing that did make me laugh was the sign by the till saying 'Card Only', iv seen hundreds saying cash only but never Card only. Chris. 🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈
Cheers Chris. To be honest, the cake shop was our favourite, too! Tim was in Sweden a couple of years ago and hardly any of the outlets accepted cash. He came home with nearly all the currency he'd taken with him 😮 🩷🍺 xx
Never been to Soho but if i were in a bar and saw emmerdale on tv with subtitles i would think my drink had been spiked. Love you boys. My favourite youtubers 💯% 🌈❤💋
@thechatterguys haha I bet. To be fair though they are a bit weird in That London 😋 (btw Watching you from Brisbane Aus but I'm a Blackpool girl. Your vids make me very homesick)
Hi Colin &Tim great vlog on Soho London it brought back so many happy memories of when i live at Cleveland street w1 just of Goodge St ...Yes soho has not changed much kings arms has always been strange and other bars a rip off .There are a few bars down by Charing Cross Half Way to Heaven is nice and CXR is nice and around by China town the Ku bar is good well in the day there were nice bars. The only bar with drag queens in are the Vauxhall Tavern in Vauxhall and the Black cap but thats gone many years ago i always enjoyed Brighton nights out better. thanks again chatter guys for a great vlog..
Thank you niloc. We shall bear those bars in mind for our next visit to London. We have some Brighton videos coming up soon, so please stay tuned! 😊❤️👍
Can't remember where in Soho it was but when I was down in London in September I paid £9.90 for a pint of Cider. I'm Scottish, I almost needed an ambulance And Emmerdale on the telly? WTAF?
We're exactly the same, Christopher. We were pleasantly surprised that so many bars had Happy Hour but we wouldn't have been so happy to pay the full whack! 😄💓
We are hearing that a lot, Malichi. As Northerners we don't understand how it has changed and we've been recommended to visit Vauxhall next time we're in London 👍
If it wasn't for your two and Em I wouldn't have heard of a pasta de thingy. I'm not sure if I've been in the Village or if I'm confusing it with another venue. Good prices there.
I lived in London for 36 years before moving to the Wirral earlier this year. I was one of the main movers and shakers in the Bear movement.The reason bears happened in London was bars like the Village and Ruperts bar discriminated if you were bigger, bearded and didn't fit their code. The original bear bar was called the Empire, it ran from 91 to 99, various clubs appeared, Chunkies, Bilk and XXL all were very successful. The Kings Arms has been the bear bar now in London, for over 20 years. If you both had been there 1 hour later it would be packed and even more outside. It never ever has happy hour and it is expensive, most bring a bottle in their handbag. It is not a tourist venue so it doesn't have to have all that silly bear paraphernalia you see on the continent, but it is what it is and folk who are bears, bigger or like them love it, much more than the Duke of Wellington which is very young and cliquey, the other bars you reviewed and preferred would never be frequented by bears because of the unpleasant history, in the past bars in soho had signs no beard or facial hair.
Thank you John, that is very interesting. We didn't know that bars actually used to ban people with facial hair. That is appalling. Despite our reservations, The Kings Arms was certainly very popular. You did make us laugh 😂 when you talked about bears sneaking drinks inside there handbag 👜 We shall bear 🐻 (sorryl) that too in mind for next time 🍔
You both make me laugh with your dry Yorkshire humour and Tim’s giggles. Xx
Thank you Susan! People say Tim laughs like Mrs Brown 😆🩷
The King's Arms (or Charlie's Guns to his friends) was shaping up to be my favourite. How could it not be? Mandy Dingle and Bears - a match made in gay heaven. Or Heaven. But you quickly burst that bubble. Anyway, many years ago, before I got my "style" on, I was prevented from entering a premises in Soho for not "fitting the image". I need a wee trip over to London, to close that circle... (not traumatised or anything like that...). Gorra love a good happy hour.
Hi Justin. We've been hearing that bars used to ban people with beards in the old days. That is appalling! The Kings Arms was very popular, we were just upset by the price of the drinks 😆 xx
Thanks for sharing guys ❤
Thank you Tracy 😊❤️
I haven't been drinking in SOHO for yonks! I spent a lot of the mid eighties and early nineties in Comptons! I remember when The Village opened and it felt like the end of the good old bad old days of SOHO, but it's stayed the distance and I guess we did deserve cleaner, brighter places to meet up.
Shame that you didn't like the King's Arms, it's a bit of an institution - been going a very long time and has always been a pub without pretentions, it was a place that you could go and have a drink with other blokes after work and no one judged you because of what you were wearing etc. It is a 'bear' bar, but not in the sense of the bars you mention which are really more like clubs. Anyway we can't all like the same things huh?! 🤣 SOHO isn't the first place I'd choose to visit these days as I remember how it used to be, but of course we can't preserve places in aspic and ultimately the only constant is change! Thanks guys for bringing us down to see it - hope yous have a good week. 🙂
Cheers Colin. The Kings Arms was very popular. We don't think we picked up the right vibe when we were there. And the drinks were way expensive 🫰. We are hearing from other viewers about the discrimination there used to be in London against people with beards. We were appalled. 🐻👍❤️
@thechatterguys I can remember in the 80s and early 90s the scene in London at least was more tribal (probably because we had so many venues) so bars could turn people away if their look, gender etc. didn't match their ethos. Sometimes that was a good thing and sometimes not! 🙂
West End drinks prices are insane aren't they!!? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hi Colin and Tim
Great review as always guys, I agree 100% a drag queen or drag DJ really makes the difference and draws people in, plus they are so entertaining.
Now bar wise the first was the best, and great value for money, and I know this is a vlog on bars, but I loved that cake shop, and paused the clip a few times to look at all there delicious offerings.
One thing that did make me laugh was the sign by the till saying 'Card Only', iv seen hundreds saying cash only but never Card only.
Chris.
🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈🏳🌈
Cheers Chris. To be honest, the cake shop was our favourite, too! Tim was in Sweden a couple of years ago and hardly any of the outlets accepted cash. He came home with nearly all the currency he'd taken with him 😮 🩷🍺 xx
Never been to Soho but if i were in a bar and saw emmerdale on tv with subtitles i would think my drink had been spiked. Love you boys. My favourite youtubers 💯% 🌈❤💋
Cheers Cherpy! It was almost surreal, seeing Emmerdale in M an LGBT+ bar 🍺
@thechatterguys haha I bet. To be fair though they are a bit weird in That London 😋 (btw Watching you from Brisbane Aus but I'm a Blackpool girl. Your vids make me very homesick)
We love Blackpool and we're planning on living there in a couple of years ❤️💖💓 We're going there to celebrate New Year 🎊 We can't wait!
@@thechatterguys that's brilliant. We are coming back in late 2025/early 2026. I can't wait. Counting the days 📆
Another brilliant video!
Thank you TH! 👍🩷🍺
Great insight into the scene in London. Looks great
Thank you so much, Rob 🤠
Hi Colin &Tim great vlog on Soho London it brought back so many happy memories of when i live at Cleveland street w1 just of Goodge St ...Yes soho has not changed much kings arms has always been strange and other bars a rip off .There are a few bars down by Charing Cross Half Way to Heaven is nice and CXR is nice and around by China town the Ku bar is good well in the day there were nice bars.
The only bar with drag queens in are the Vauxhall Tavern in Vauxhall and the Black cap but thats gone many years ago i always enjoyed Brighton nights out better. thanks again chatter guys for a great vlog..
Thank you niloc. We shall bear those bars in mind for our next visit to London. We have some Brighton videos coming up soon, so please stay tuned! 😊❤️👍
Thanks for a great vlog from Carl Ruffi @niloc2205
I absolutely love you two, and that is all I have to say👍 xx
Thank you David. We love you too 💖
Superb as always 👍..
Thanks a lot, Brian 😀
love the reviews, boys. plus, I'm all in for a decent toilet and happy hour. ❤
Us too, Andrew! On a video coming soon we found the stinkiest toilet 🚽 ever! 🤣
Nice bars, definitely preferred the first one you tried
Cheers lads.
Emmerdale lol lol lol lol lol Your both funny!
Ha ha! We couldn't believe it! 🤣
I'm 100 percent certain Tim is a serial killer
No chance. He's far too squeamish 😁
Can't remember where in Soho it was but when I was down in London in September I paid £9.90 for a pint of Cider. I'm Scottish, I almost needed an ambulance
And Emmerdale on the telly? WTAF?
We're exactly the same, Christopher. We were pleasantly surprised that so many bars had Happy Hour but we wouldn't have been so happy to pay the full whack! 😄💓
I liked the village but only because of the rainbow lights
Thank you, Blackpool Trams. The Village had a really good atmosphere 🌈
Soho has been so sanitised and turned into like any other street……never go there now.
We are hearing that a lot, Malichi. As Northerners we don't understand how it has changed and we've been recommended to visit Vauxhall next time we're in London 👍
Is the "Adult Store" in video same as Lidl or Aldi , do they sell beans and stuff ??
We didn't pop in to find out, Brian, but imagine not 🤣
If it wasn't for your two and Em I wouldn't have heard of a pasta de thingy. I'm not sure if I've been in the Village or if I'm confusing it with another venue. Good prices there.
Thanks David.
❤ London
Cheers Robert 💓
Tim, what he like saying ye not a size queen with that small coffee
🤣🤣🤣
👌
Thanks Shirley 😁❤️