The Keys, more frequently known as the Yeoman Warders Club, is a non-public

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

in the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

, in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, open only to the members of the

Yeomen Warders The Yeomen Warders of His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary, popularly known as the Beefeaters, are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. ...

, and their guests. The Yeomen Warders, who are known colloquially as the "Beefeaters", are the guards of the Tower of London; as of 2020 there were 37 Beefeaters. Beefeaters generally live in the Tower along with their families, which led to the existence of a dedicated pub. The current name of the pub, "The Keys", refers to a nightly locking-up ritual in the Tower; the name is a recent change, and the establishment was historically known as the Yeoman Warders Club. Though numerous pubs used to exist in the Tower, this is the only remaining one, and is about 150 years old. The pub serves several unique drinks, including a "Beefeater bitter" and "Yeoman 1485" beers (1485 refers to the year the Beefeaters were founded). It also features copious amounts of

Beefeater Gin Beefeater Gin is a brand of gin owned by Pernod Ricard and bottled and distributed in the United Kingdom. Beefeater remained in the Burrough's family control until 1987. It is a 47% or 44% alcohol product (94 proof) in the US, and a 40% alcoh ...

. The pub enforces a strict formal dress code. Though usually only open to Warders and their guests, it is often made accessible to the public during the annual Open House London. ''Business Insider'' notes that it might be the "most exclusive pub in the world". The pub features elegant red leather seating, and a highly detailed carpet that includes symbols of the British Monarchy. The interior is decorated with uniforms of the Beefeaters, as well as various historical artifacts from the Tower of London. Prominent among those is a signature of

Rudolf Hess Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position unt ...

, who was imprisoned in the Tower during World War II. A Yeoman executioner's axe also hangs on the wall, along with a sign that marked execution spots. The pub also hosts a collection of silver goblets, which are used to swear in new recruits; the Beefeaters traditionally toast the new recruit by saying "May you never die a Yeoman Warder." The phrase originates from a now defunct custom of Beefeaters selling their position to another person when they retired; but if they died in office, the Tower would earn money from selling the vacant post instead.

References

{{coord, 51, 30, 26, N, 00, 04, 31, W, display=title Pubs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Tower of London Clubs and societies in London