noshup

The Marylebone Cafe

Darren Atwater | Tuesday 1 November, 2011 13:07

Marylebone is known for its selection of posh shops, carefully curated by the Howard de Walden and Portland Estates. Yet Marylebone Lane held a neighbourhood anomaly, the Marylebone Cafe, a straight-up greasy spoon that would be unremarkable almost anywhere in London but existed as a gutsy rebel in Michelin star land.

But now it’s over. The Marylebone Cafe quietly closed their doors last week and cleared out, without even a chance for a goodbye bubble and squeak.

It wasn’t merely Maryleboners jonesing for an undeconstructed full English and tea in a proper cafe mug that enjoyed the Marylebone Cafe, guests at the old Marylebone Jail (now a car park) sometimes enjoyed the cafe’s delivery service.

From Peter Negri at a good place for a cup of tea and a think

I remember seeing my auntie Brenda on the evening TV news in 1963, crossing Wigmore Street, with a tray of tea and biscuits. They were for Christine Keeler and John Profumo when they had just been arrested.

The Howard de Walden estate hasn’t returned Snipe’s call about the future of the location. But a clue maybe found in the March 2011 newsletter of the Marylebone Association:

Howard de Walden have plans to revitalise Marylebone Lane and to make this the natural walking route from the top of St Christopher Place up to Marylebone High Street.

Translation: more posh shops.

Cheers to Peter for the Keeler/Profumo info

Deadpool is Snipe’s obituary column for old London. Send candidates for inclusion to editor@snipelondon.com

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