On the western side of Piccadilly you would be forgiven for missing a discreet shoulder-height wood and iron structure, located on the pavement alongside a bus stop. This simple piece of street furniture is a replica of the last porters’ rest in London (the original was sadly stollen in 2015). Several were erected on the main thoroughfares of London during Victorian times as a place where porters, often carrying goods to a London market, could place their loads without the need to bend down to floor height, whilst they rested their weary shoulders for a moment or two. This particular one carries the inscription ‘At The Suggestion of R.A. Slaney Esq. Who For 20 Years Represented Shrewsbury In Parliament, This Porter’s Rest Was Erected In 1861 By The Vestry Of St. George Hanover Square For The Benefit Of Porters And Others Carrying Burdens.’.
Do look out for it when you stay with us – it’s almost opposite Down Street which you will no doubt walk along to access Piccadilly from Hertford Street.