Day in the life of a Poet (August 2020)

Board report from The Old Coffee House Drinking Society

1. Absentees: Everyone.
2. Minutes from the last meeting: Meeting was postponed.
3. Report on the trip to The French House: Report held over to next meeting.
4. Financial report: I have enough money for at least 2 nights hard drinking next time (courtesy of a sub from petty cash).
5. Action: n/a.
6. Newsletter: 
1. It was agreed that I would continue to write & produce TOCHDS newsletter for the foreseeable future, despite the fact that I am the only one who reads it. 
2. It was also agreed that the Newsletter would henceforth be known as The ORCHIDS (The Old Regular Coffee House Inveterate Drinkers Screed)
7. Date of next meeting: TBC.
8. AOB: It was agreed that we shall meet again... at the table by the fire, in the corner of the pub, where destiny and fate left their empty glasses. Underneath the stag and the clock, where time veers from me to you to last orders. 
1. It was also proposed to make mine a double and yours too...

The Old Coffee House Book Club

Met on a daily basis
welcomed new and old faces
always plenty of spaces
a Beak St cultural oasis

The Old Coffee House - Soho

Remember a drink is for life and not just for Christmas

On the corner of Beak St and Marshall St. The Old Coffee House, is one of those rare old theme pubs where the theme is drinking. I have been drinking in TOCH for 20 years and it has barely changed at all in that time. Barry & Gerry the husband and wife landlord team are still behind the pumps, the still nicotine stained war posters are still shuffled around once a year and the same old drinkers are still ordering the same old drinks. Many an afternoon has blurred into a long old evening in TOCH.

As an antidote to the modern drinking/members clubs called such cutting edge names as 'Moist', 'Player' and 'Thrush'; the warm red interior, low lighting and proximity to Carnaby Street, Oxford Street & Piccadilly Circus makes TOCH a perfectly decorated and situated establishment. Protected from invasion by too many media types (limited supply of latest Peruvian bottled beer 'Chumpitaz' being the key reason for their absence) it is also generally immune from part-time Christmas drinkers. Those that do make it through are quietly ushered upstairs, where they can don stupid paper hats and pull various assorted crackers to their hearts content without annoying the hardy annuals downstairs.

All in all The Old Coffee House is a veritable home from home. Cheers