The Courthouse Hotel is in Soho near to Carnaby Street.
The whole area has changed since I last visited some years ago. Soho then was sleazy and not an attractive place to visit.
How the position has changed over the years. The streets are largely car free and restricted to pedestrians. Small shops and cafes abound and the place was full of families as well as tourists. Perhaps the main issue for some. could be the sheer numbers of people enjoying the area though for us, this made the day more interesting. On a bright Saturday evening at the beginning of September, crowds in unusual parts of Town are not unexpected.
To my surprise when The Courthouse Hotel came into view I realised that I had visited it as a young solicitor acting no doubt for a villain or two who equally doubtlessly, would have been quite innocent of what ever charges were being levelled.
Wikepedia states:
| Marlborough Street Magistrates Court | |
|---|---|
The former court buildings, now a hotel
| |
 Location within Central London | |
Marlborough Street Magistrates Court was a court of law at 19–21 Great Marlborough Street, Soho London, between the early 19th and late 20th centuries. The court saw many significant trials, including those of Oscar Wilde, Christine Keeler, Keith Richards and John Lennon. The court closed in 1998 and is now The Courthouse Hotel London, a 5-star hotel next to London Palladium Theatre, and opposite Carnaby Street and Liberty London.
Interestingly at the lower ground floor bar, where we enjoyed our champagne prior to the film, there were small rooms which had previously housed prisoners waiting to be taken up to the courtroom. Their heavy doors were locked open presumably not to put people off from enjoying their food and drink within. Mrs maytrees and I however preferred the hotel lounge.
The film - "When a Man Loves a Woman" we both found riveting for its whole two hour duration. Meg Ryan is a great actress and Andy Garcia a brilliant actor.
Perhaps the comments by the Royal College of Psychiatrists illustrate aspects of the film rather better than I:
Directed by Luis Mandoki in 1994, When a Man loves a Woman stars Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan. It tells the story of an airline pilot, Michael Green, and his wife, Alice, a school counsellor, who seemingly have a wonderful life living with their daughters in San Fransisco, until the truth about her alcohol dependence reveals itself and threatens to destroy everything. What is especially interesting about the film is that it is based on the actual experiences of one of the two writers, Al Franken, who is now a United States Senator from Minnesota. His wife struggled with alcohol dependency whilst their two children were young and he supported her through some very difficult times. This was publically revealed in a campaign Ad made by Franken in 2008, which featured his wife talking about her addiction.
Watching the film at The Courthouse was very comfortable in the private cinema there and even for a 5:30 viewing the cinema quite full. However the cinema only has viewings on Saturdays and the programme changes each week.
An excellent birthday treat in the clink.
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