When Soho Clubs & Bars, owner of Jewel in Piccadilly Circus and Wardour Street's Village, collapsed earlier this week, concerns were raised for the group's 300 or so employees. Happily, a buyer has stepped in and bought the seven venues, ensuring staff will remain in gainful employment. In possibly less encouraging news for the future of decent West End nightclubs, the buyer was today revealed as Novus Leisure, owner of Haymarket club and last......

14. The Jewel House Apparition Mr Edmond Lenthal Swift was the Keeper of the Crown Jewels, at the Tower Of London from 1814 to 1842. It was here, as mentioned in a previous episode, that a sentry encountered a huge phantom bear, which he reported to Mr Swift, before dying of shock two days after the frightful incident in which he speared the creature with his bayonet, only for the blade to pass right......

4. Animal Apparitions: Bears To continue from last week’s feature on spectral animals around the capital, did you know that bears, of differing colours, mainly black, brown and white have been sighted around Glebe Place, Chelsea? These ursine manifestations are perhaps connected to bear baiting in the area during the 1600s. One such form is said to prowl the riverside, and another at Cheyne Walk. A seemingly flesh and blood bear was sighted on......

This Day in London's History Best stay at home today. 16 October seems to be a date of doom and/or gloom for the capital. (And, incidentally, it's also Davina MaCall's birthday.) 1834: Disastrous fire at Westminster. What Guy Fawkes et al. had failed to do 200 years earlier, a bundle of old tally sticks managed in 1834. The outmoded accounting tools were set for disposal. Dickens sums up what happened next: It came to......