Simmons Greek Street, London

The current building is modern, with a mock-Tudor frontage; a re-building of 1935 for Edinburgh brewers William Younger. There's been a tavern at No. 7 Greek Street since at least 1733 - either in the same name or as the Hercules Pillars. According to the Survey of London it dates even earlier, 'as the 'Hercules Pillars' which was on or near this site in 1714 was presumably a tavern, and the ratepayer at that time had been in occupation of the site since 1709.' Other connections of a literary bent include Charles Dickens, who mentioned the pub in his 1859 novel 'A Tale of Two Cities'. In its apparent 1990s heyday, the Pillars was one of the favoured traditional Soho pubs. Martin Amis, Julian Barnes and Ian McEwan were all said to be regulars and Clive James also gives it a mention.