Street walking in Soho

Soho is a mishmash of narrow streets and alleys running through the heart of London's West End.

It is an area that been given many labels: 'London's naughty bit', a foodie's paradise' and 'nightlife nirvana'.

High on the 'must see' list of many visitors from around the world, LGBT-friendly Soho has lived up to all its epithets (and more) over the years.

Throughout its history, Soho has flourished most when it has been under threat. Back in 1946 the City of Westminster produced a plan calling for the massive demolition of Soho, an area viewed by the report's authors as a 'misplaced environment' existing solely for 'slinking men, prostitutes, perverts, gamblers and pimps.'

Newspapers were quick to speculate on 'the end of Soho', but following vigorous challenges by preservationists, including several show business celebrities, the plan was quietly dumped in the council's archives.

Another attempt to tear down Soho came in the early 1970s, which was avoided when Soho became a Conservation Area in 1972. Nevertheless, by 2015 changes were again under way -- not just a nip and tuck facelift, but massive architectural surgery.

The 'ultimate' gentrification of Soho was on its way, and will continue - but its vibrant history lives on, a history filled with characters that have taken their place in history, famous or infamous.

This book will take you on a journey through that illustrious history and tell the tale of the characters that shaped Soho.