Last orrs at the Gay Hsar – the left’s hotbed of plots, gossip and goulash | Rtrants | The Guardian

Contents:

• LONDON’S GAY HSAR REOPENS AFTER TWO YEARS UNR A NEW NAME
• GAY HSAR RTRANT DCH OLD-TIME SPICY GOSSIP FOR MORN SOHO VIBE
• THE GAY HSAR
• THE LEGENDARY GAY HSAR RTRANT GETS A MAKEOVER
• LAST ORRS AT THE GAY HSAR – THE LEFT’S HOTBED OF PLOTS, GOSSIP AND GOULASH
• GAY HSAR ART: GRAN WHO STCK A POSE FOR A EE LUNCH

LONDON’S GAY HSAR REOPENS AFTER TWO YEARS UNR A NEW NAME

The legendary Gay Hsar rtrant of SoHo, which featured thentic Hungarian dish, closed 2018, 65 years after s openg. Gay Hsar was opened 1953, wh a dark yet charmg terr, and two private rooms, which were the perfect spots for plottg, and the place quickly beme favoured by the lears of the Labour Party, as well as left-wg journalists and tellectuals. The rtrant was not named after a gay valry soldier, but after Imre Kálmán’s world-famo operetta, tled The Gay Hsars English (Tatárjárás), which premiered Budapt 1908.

At the time, gay meant happy and cheerful. Gay Hsar was closed 2018. Goulash is once aga on the menu, but this time bbg shoulrs wh fe French and English-style okg rather than meat-heavy Hungarian classics – and paired wh some of the world’s ft than two years sce the legendary Gay Hsar London closed s doors, a new rtrant is openg on the se on 18 Septembenr new owners and wh a bold, ntemporary style that is more than jt a nod to s precsor’s illtr s heyday the Hungarian rtrant the centre of Soho was a hotbed of polil plottg, backstabbg, al-makg and gossip, when s fame rted not so much on the qualy of s menu – barely changed years – but on s reputatn as the beatg heart of polil openg 1953, the jewel-loured rooms adorned wh thick draped velvet curtas have played host to generatns of policians, many om the left, cludg Anr Bevan, Michael Foot, Tom Driberg, Ian Mikardo and Barbara Castle.

GAY HSAR RTRANT DCH OLD-TIME SPICY GOSSIP FOR MORN SOHO VIBE

The shelv which groaned wh polil tom are now lan wh okery books cludg Esffier’s Le Gui Culaire and guis to the world’s ft first-floor dg room is beg renamed The Rowson Sue to honour the role of polil rtoonist Mart Rowson as an enthiastic supporter of the Gay Hsar and an acerbic and irreverent chronicler of the changg face of Soho and polil famo gallery of 60-pl rtoons of the polil ele’s great and not-so-good – officially “on loan” – were hung wall-to-wall the downstairs dg room for many years, but have been languishg storage sce the rtrant’s closure June, who retas pyright, and prev owner Cos Hotels are unrstood to have recently agreed to donate the llectn to the Natnal Portra Gallery as an “absolute gift” new rtrant will stead display two dramatic new “triptych” patgs by Rowson. On one si Gay Hsar stalwarts Labour lear Michael Foot and Barbara Castle are pictured leavg the rtrant, while the morn-day versn chefs cludg Angela Hartt and Nigella Lawson are shown on Greek Street alongsi Amy Wehoe and, bizarrely, journalist Rod Liddle drag.

THE GAY HSAR

Wrg about the rtrant’s new rnatn a recent issue of Noble Rot magaze, Guardian lumnist Suzanne Moore said: “I hope the sndals and plottg and affairs and appropriate behavur that characterised the old Gay Hsar will ntue. :-)UUp4foodLondonDed on May 4, 2018overall5food5service5ambience5Had another lovely meal at the Gay Hsar, great fun - the owner is such a character and all the food and we was lovely.

THE LEGENDARY GAY HSAR RTRANT GETS A MAKEOVER

I have been gog to Gay Hsar regularly sce at least the 1980s, possibly longer, I'm too old to remember. :)CSCarlySDed on March 9, 2018overall5food5service5ambience5My parents have been wantg to e to The Gay Hsar sce theyoved to London 6 months ago.

LAST ORRS AT THE GAY HSAR – THE LEFT’S HOTBED OF PLOTS, GOSSIP AND GOULASH

RreluctantreviewerOxfordDed on Febary 24, 2018overall4food4service5ambience3Yet another very enjoyable lunch enunter wh the Gay Hsar. WwellfordNew York AreavipDed on November 17, 2017overall5food5service5ambience5very welg host wh a menu and food that is well prepared and do not disappotLLucyLondonDed on November 10, 2017overall5food5service5ambience5Super iendly service and fun atmosphere, lovely for a group celebratnKKath61LondonvipDed on November 4, 2017overall5food5service5ambience4Another fab meal at The Gay Hsar.

The Gay Hsar is a very iendly, small, warm and welg rtrant the heart of Soho wh fantastic food.

GAY HSAR ART: GRAN WHO STCK A POSE FOR A EE LUNCH

The Gay Hsar is among the most celebrated rtrants London but s fame rts not so much on the qualy of s chilled wild-cherry soup and s goulash, but on s reputatn as the beatg heart of polil Hungarian rtrant the centre of Soho has played host to generatns of policians, many drawn om the left, cludg Anr Bevan, Michael Foot, Tom Driberg, Ian Mikardo and Barbara Castle.

“We believe now is the time to create a new Gay Hsar, and are talks wh possible partners who agree wh that this unique tablishment mt be saved, ” said the Goulash Co-operative’s spokman John Goodman.

”Sce 1953 the Gay Hsar has played host to generatns of policians, cludg Peter Manlson. Sassie, who died 1999, sold the Gay Hsar to the Rtrant Partnership more than six s the tradnal r of the open-plan ground-floor rtrant and two crimson-hued private rooms – nnected by a narrow stairse – has barely changed, wh every space and surface stuffed wh books, ritur and pictur. Supporters of the Gay Hsar have already raised a large sum wh big and small donatns.