> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # SM has a distinct British flavor - URL: https://www.smdp.com/sm-has-a-distinct-british-flavor/ - Published: 2007-06-23T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T01:17:19.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: local, Downtown, #archive-import *Brits like downtown* DOWNTOWN The British are coming. Strike that — they’re already here. Having earned a reputation for being a home away from home, thousands of British “blokes” and “birds” have settled in Santa Monica since the early 1930s, enjoying an upgrade in weather and taking advantage of the intellectual freedoms for which the city is known. And there’s no signs they’re going to stop crossing the pond anytime soon. “It’s definitely the weather, and also knowing that there is a very vibrant English community here. That just builds on itself and attracts more people,” said British ex-patriot Lee Morton, a manager at The Tudor House on Second Street, “the center of British culture in Southern California.” At the Tudor House, fellow Brits gather for tea and crumpets or to stock up on treats that typically can only be found back home across the pond. “Everyone wants to be amongst their people, even when you’re living in another country,” added Morton, a native of Leicester. “When I first arrived here (in 1994), I was surprised to hear all these English accents. That’s when I realized just how popular Santa Monica is among the Brits.” An official number of British ex-pats in Santa Monica is hard to come by, according to a spokesperson at the British Consulate, but in Los Angeles County, the number is somewhere between 300,000 to 500,000. That’s a rough estimate as most Brits do not have much contact with the consulate once they arrive because they can easily assimilate and have no real need for assistance. One thing is certain, there are plenty in Santa Monica and they’ve been arriving ever since the early part of the 20th Century. Signs of the British invasion abound, from the Continental Shop (1619 Wilshire Blvd.), where shoppers can scoop up marmite and videos of obscure British TV shows; to the curious British Collectibles store (1727 Wilshire Blvd.), where the elusive suit of armor or Beefeater costume can be had; to the Viceroy Hotel (1819 Ocean Ave.), where “Anglophobic whimsy abounds,” according to The New York Times. A TOUCH OF ENGLISH Perhaps the most famous Englishman to settle in the city was author Christopher Isherwood, best known for “The Berlin Stories,” adapted as the play, film and musical “Cabaret.” Isherwood was one of the first major, openly gay writers to be read extensively by a wider audience. He lived in Santa Monica from 1939 until his death in 1986. Artist David Hockney, a native of Bradford, England, also settled in Santa Monica in the late 1960s. He became internationally known during that time as one of the leaders of the pop art movement, and was said to spend most of his days at the Santa Monica Pier people-watching. There, he found the inspiration for many of his paintings. Hockney was enamored with the more laid-back, sunny lifestyle that the city provided. Tom Davidson can relate. The salesman and 12-year-resident of Santa Monica moved to Southern California 20 years ago to escape the cold, rainy days in Birmingham, an industrial area of Britain he likens to “Detroit or Cleveland.” “The weather was the prime factor,” Davidson said. “Santa Monica was in close proximity to the beach, so that was a big attraction and I just wanted a taste of that outdoor lifestyle. “This might sound trite or corny, but I came to America like most people, to seek my fortune and change my life.” Rent control also played a role for Davidson and those who preceded him. The ability to live in a beach town for $300 or $400 a month was pretty attractive. “There was really a strong word of mouth about this free and easy living,” he said. “Now that rent control has been pretty much done away with, that’s really no longer a factor, but Brits keep on coming.” THE OPEN-ENDED INVASION Anyone who has spent time in downtown knows that the Brits have staked a claim. On Santa Monica Boulevard at the corner of Second Street, the Ye Old King’s Head Pub is a popular spot for the English to meet, throw back a couple of pints, toss darts, talk about Parliament or watch their favorite football teams square off on the pitch. Early in the morning during soccer season, the pub is packed with loyal fans rooting for their hometown squads. Many are excited about the arrival of English star David Beckham, who has signed a contract to play next year for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Around the corner from the King’s Head is the Tudor House, and just a few blocks away on Santa Monica Boulevard, the Britannia Pub. Tourist Victoria Ireland said she felt at home in downtown, calling Santa Monica “Little Britain” in a blog she wrote to friends back home. “I couldn’t resist the title because there’s loads of random British things here,”she wrote. “There’s a pub almost next door to where we’re staying, some London shop thing opposite and a shop nearby that sells all the good chocolate from home. We haven’t over indulged though — we’re not away for that long!” There is also a local newspaper catering to the British ex-pat community. The British Weekly, owned by Londoner Neil Fletcher, claims to be the only weekly newspaper in the U.S. catering to the British ex-pat market. Founded in 1984, it has grown in popularity ever since. Currently, 25,000 papers are printed each week. “I pride myself on the fact that the name David Beckham has appeared in our paper more than the Los Angeles Times,” said Fletcher, who moved to Santa Monica more than 20 years ago after the car he and a friend used for their cross-country road trip died on Interstate 10, just a mile or so out of town. A THIRST FOR THE MYTHICAL While many Brits think of Santa Monica as their home, there are still times when they miss what they’ve left behind; not the weather, of course, but family and friends, the English countryside and the ironical sense of humor that comes with being British. “The things you miss when you are a new immigrant are immediate things,” Fletcher said. “But when you’re here for a long time, you start to miss more mythical things. I miss the English countryside, but I never went to the county much when I was there. They become a part of the mythology of home. “That’s probably true for Americans abroad,” he added. “You may have this desire to go to a ball game or see the sun setting beyond Dodger Stadium, even if you’ve never been to a game.” For those who have lived in America for decades, going back to Britain can be a strange proposition. One can feel like a stranger in their own homeland. “You feel like you are in between worlds, kind of,” Davidson said. “Things change and you don’t feel like you belong there, but then you come back to America and you’re not completely accepted here either because of the accent or whatever.” It doesn’t help when everyone you come in contact with reminds you that you’re British. It’s especially bothersome when people play on stereotypes, the most common being that the Brits have bad teeth and an even worse taste in food. “I’m married to an American and when we go out, people ask who does the cooking and she says ‘I do,’” Fletcher said. “People just look at her and say something like ‘I’m surprised he hasn’t poisoned you yet.’” All things considered, if your English and in the States, Santa Monica is where it’s at. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/062307-10_01.jpg) POURING IT ON: A bartender mixes things up at the Ye Olde King’s Head in Downtown. (Photo: Photo courtesy) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 23, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062307.pdf?ref=smdp.com)