“Mr Bojangles was NOT a tap dancer, he was soft shoe. It is not the same!”
And with this remark, Mr Soft Shoe walked away with a bonus point for his team.
It was pub quiz night at the LSHTM Bar circa 1999 and Andre, Jonathan and Mark were trying to preside over nearly 70 staff and students in what was turning out to be a very lively and competitive night. In the background “The girl from Ipanema” played on the speaker system.
During Mr Soft Shoe’s triumph, the Bar was all wood-grain effect panels with pictures of Paris café culture on the walls. Beer was cheap and on most nights, all manner of folk in academia could be found populating the cosy albeit shadowy area. It was rumoured there were those who didn’t approve of the Bar being there at all, rumours which were never really substantiated.
The Bar was soon to acquire white walls, café furniture and purple sofas. It was also the first Bar in Bloomsbury to become no smoking, at least two years before the general ban.
These days, the LSHTM Bar is brighter, has acquired a piano and a swish TV screen. Pub quiz nights continue to be held there as well as other fun events like “Bring your own dishes from your country” night.
So where do you find the heart of somewhere? It could be in many places, it may be in the Bar. Try it and see ….
