Exploring GB

This tiny doorway, at the Prince Alfred pub in London, is possibly the smallest we've ever seen.

Lots of pubs in London feature these tiny doors, but why?

Before you say it, no, these were not built for Leprechauns!

It's thought that these small "doors" were put in place as to try to comply with licensing laws but avoid taxes.

Many pubs had separate areas for women, working class men and gentlemen, and these areas were segregated.

It was not uncommon to have different prices and drinks on sale in these areas, depending on their clientele.

In order to have these different prices, the areas had to be clearly defined.

But building a solid wall of bricks or wood would have meant creating a separate "room".

When it came to being assessed for tax purposes, at a time when the charges were assessed on the number of rooms, having the entire bar area divided into separate "rooms" could be very expensive.

Having a semi-permanent wooden barrier between the areas meant that the bar area was still classed as one room.

However, when the authorities cottoned on to this loophole, the rules were changed.

Any room with a dividing wall with a doorway between the two area was classed as a separate room.

Bar owners simply removed the door.

This prompted the authorities to change the rules once more.

It stated that any room with a doorway would be taxed.

The bar owners simply checked what constituted a "doorway" and made their apertures slightly smaller to avoid the charges, but large enough so that a person could squeeze through if they wanted to.

However, it's also said that these doors were designed for the pot boy, who would come to and from carrying your empties back to the bar.

Another theory is that the little doorways separated the men and women and the classes.

The people had to keep to their compartment except for the upper class men, who could go through to any other compartment if they wished.

More of these tiny doors can be found at other pubs in London too.

Some of the other pubs that feature these unusual doors include:

- The Windsor Castle pub
- The Earl of Lonsdale in Notting Hill
- The Angel in Rotherhithe
- The Royal Oak at New Malden

If you know of anymore pubs in London with these tiny doorways, please comment at the bottom of this blog post!

We wonder how many people have banged their heads on one of these over the years!?

If you would like to visit this small door for yourself, it can be found at the Prince Alfred pub in North London.

It's a lovely pub with lots of charm and character.

It's located just minutes from the picturesque canals of Little Venice and Warwick Avenue Station (pub entrance pictured below).

The beautiful pub boasts Victorian history and craftsmanship with an eclectic twist.

What do you think these tiny doors were for? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this article!

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