The Keys – Yeoman Warder’s Club, Tower of London
Although technically not a pub - it is not open to the general public - there was one central London boozer that had always eluded me.
It was therefore with a state of anxious suspense that I waited outside the gates of His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London in late 2023. I was finally going to tick off the last Zone 1 ‘pub’ on my hit list.
Watering thirsty Beefeaters and their families for over 150 years the Key’s takes it name from the nightly ceremony which has happened at the Tower every evening at 09:52 for over 800 years.
After a tour of the grounds and a few sharpeners in the pub it was out into the elements to watch this sacred tradition. Against a backdrop of the ancient walls I had goosebumps watching a vital part of our heritage in enchanting surroundings where the history is tangible.
The pub itself is a treasured local amenity in what is a village within a city for the Yeoman Warders and their kin. A week later the euphoria of enjoying the privilege of drinking in the Keys had still not left me.
Gleaming parquet flooring and regal red studded banquette seating runs throughout and what hits you crossing the threshold, over classic pub carpet, is the warmth of the building. Not just its elegant fixtures and fittings or nods to the glorious past of the Tower, but of a harmonious community. Smiles are never off peoples faces and the brilliant standard maintained of gentlemen wearing a collar and tie makes this purist yearn for a time when this was the social norm.
My thanks to Dan Torres for setting this up with raconteur Head Yeoman Jimmy who delivered a fascinating tour and looked after us famously - along with his charming wife Lisa who ran the bar.
Needless to say that £3 pints in a serene setting meant we were the last to leave. After floating down the lantern lit cobbles to exit the main gate, I was hit by the harsh contrast of a warm cocoon versus the gritty Tower Hamlet’s night and the trip home. Such polar opposite is what makes London so special, and I will treasure this memorable evening forever.
