The Princess Louise
AN ASTONISHING SURVIVAL from the era of the Gin Palace, the USP of The Princess Louise is its décor. Dating from the early 1890s, it transports punters back to the tawdry but atmospheric world of caricaturist Phil May. Before the advent of the cinema, the poor flocked to pubs for company, conversation, and a brief respite from the daily grind. Owners realised that lavish appointments would be a major draw for those thirsting for a dose of escapist glamour as well as a pint of beer. At The Princess Louise, their appetites were slaked with Lincrusta ceilings, brass chandeliers, polychromatic tilework, and ornate etched glass set into a maze of carved partitions which, while decorative, can make it difficult to find one’s chums when the place is crowded. After one’s dazzled eyes have adjusted to the effect of all this splendour, one observes that the linoleum is scuffed and the woodwork of the bar is chipped and worn – which only makes the whole ensemble seem that much more authentic.
An evening at The Princess Louise is an evening in the London of gaslights, hansom cabs and peasoupers. Just try not to get Rippered on your way home.
See also: The Grenadier, The Holly Bush, The Star Tavern
