The Water Rats

The Story

This pub has been operating since 1878 and has had clients such as Karl Marx, who reportedly even lived in a room upstairs, and Lenin, who lived nearby. In December 1962, an as-yet-unknown Bob Dylan made his first performance in the United Kingdom there. Bought in 1986 by the Grand Order of Water Rats, a show business charity, the pub gained its current name and continued to host significant debuts, including Oasis' first London show on January 27, 1994, with a repertoire that already included Live Forever, Supersonic, and Cigarettes & Alcohol. It remains active as a music venue, with a plaque on the facade commemorating Dylan's visit.

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