Southampton. The present building was built in 1907 although there has been a hotel/pub on this site since 1846 - first the Railway Hotel, then Bacon's Hotel and then in 1870 the London Spirit Stores. It changed to The London Hotel in 1907 under the ownership of Forder's Hampton Court Brewery, Brickwood's Brewery took over in 1925, and in 1971 Whitbread's. In 1912 the then landlord's son was a porter on the Titanic and survived. He also survived the Lusitania in 1915! With its distinctive green tiled facade and etched glass windows it is one of the city's most recognizable public houses. The interior is equally impressive with an island bar in the middle, one of only two in Southampton. To the back of the pub is a comfortable lounge alcove, once the pool room. At the front is a small stage that features drag and cabaret acts on Friday and Saturday nights - it is one of the city's main gay pubs. It is located on pedestrianized Oxford Street where there is outdoor seating. I sat outside in the sun enjoying a Timothy Taylor's Golden Best (Keighley, near Bradford).