‘A place of pure escapism’: the decadent rise, and heartbreaking fall, of Café de Paris
Bankruptcy, German bombs, Marlene Dietrich... For 96 years, the London landmark withstood anything life threw at it – then came lockdown
22 December 2020 • 4:53pm
The Cafe de Paris in 1933
Credit: Hulton
The news that the Café de Paris in London’s West End has shut its doors forever has caused a wave of disbelief and sadness in London and beyond. Words like “iconic” and “unique” and “irreplaceable” are being repeated in thousands of lamenting Twitter and Facebook messages. And no wonder, for the Café de Paris was really something special.