WE HAVE MOVED IN TO A BRAND NEWLY BUILT FACILITY

The original Blind Beggar Pub is in London on Whitechapel Road. It was built in 1894 on the site of an inn established before 1654, and named for Henry de Montfort who lost his sight in battle in the 13th century, and became the Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green. The story of how he went from riches to rags became hugely popular.

The Blind Beggar is known as the site on which the Salvation Army started. Founder William Booth preached his first sermon outside in 1865.

The Blind Beggar is notorious for its connection to East En

d gangsters theKray twins, who used the pub as their headquarters during their reign of terror during the 1950s and 60s.

Reginald “Reggie” Kray (1933 – 2000) and Ronald “Ronnie” Kray (1933 – 1995) were identical twins and the foremost organised crime leaders dominating London’s East End. Ronnie was known for his violent outbreaks and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.

The Krays were involved in armed robberies, arson, protection rackets, violent assaults including torture, and murder. On 9 March 1966, Ronnie Kray shot and killed George Cornell, an associate of rival gang the Richardsons, as he was sitting at the bar.

As West End nightclub owners, they mixed with celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Diana Dors, as well as politicians. This gave them a perceived respectability and in the 1960s they became celebrities in their own right, being photographed by the likes of David Bailey and appearing in interviews on television.

They were eventually arrested on May 9, 1968, leading to convictions and sentences of life imprisonment.
Along with our rich history the Blind Beggar also has a few other sides to its personality…

The food at our pub has always been a focus. Many pubs serve food as a function of getting people to drink, but we believe food is the key to our business and is crucial part of who we are. Every item on the menu has been well thought out and approved by our chef and managers. We make most items in house – this is a big commitment as pubs our size do not have a team of many chefs – so we employ our “team cheffing” philosophy. Team Cheffing is the idea that everyone (including chef, cooks,staff, customers, relatives etc..) can bring ideas to the table. The chef cooks a few different versions of each item then the management team tastes them and decides whether they make the cut. We also have feature sheets that come out every season to ensure we have good variety for all of our guests. From our outstanding chicken wings to our homemade Sheperds Pie, our food is always top notch.

Drinks cannot just be served – they must be served well with good options. Our bartenders are trained to entertain and serve fast; meanwhile our Beer Brigade leads the way in variety with over 25 British beers to choose from along with our fully stocked back bar. Our taps are all regional craft beers so you can try the newest & best draught beer on the local market.

Live original music is a staple for the Blind Beggar, that’s why The Blind Beggar has “the Original Music Showcase” programs. In Calgary our name is synonymous with original music and Calgary live music as we have been a venue and big supporters of the scene for many years now. We created the Original Music Showcase to work with artists and bands to grow and give them the opportunity to play their music in a quality venue. If you come by any evening from Wednesday to Saturday you will always be treated with great live music. We are proud to put over 400 bands and acts through our pub every year and are very experienced on putting on great shows for fans and musicians.