WAXY O’CONNOR'S celebrated its 30th anniversary in London’s Soho on Thursday, October 8, by turning back the clock on drink prices, with pints costing just £3.
The Irish pub on Rupert Street marked three decades in business by restoring its drinks prices to their 1996 levels, while live music added to the great atmosphere in its sprawling, multi-level interior.
Performers Steve and Henry played for guests earlier in the evening, before Molly’s Chambers took to the stage after 9pm.
The soundtrack included Irish favourites such as Tell Me Ma and Whiskey in the Jar, alongside Come On Eileen, Wonderwall and Zombie.
But while the anniversary celebrated the pub’s history, owner Alex Salussolia revealed that one of its most enduring stories is not quite what it seems.
Finbar ‘Waxy’ O’Connor, the supposed Irish candle maker whose tale has been associated with the pub’s identity, never actually existed.
“He’s actually a made-up character,” Salussolia said with a laugh.
The pub was packed throughout the night (Photo by Mark Murphy)The name came about while Salussolia was travelling in Ireland, looking for inspiration for what he hoped would become London’s biggest and best Irish pub.
“We were looking at surnames and forenames; ‘Waxy’s’ was on the list. We loved the name ‘Waxy’s’, then I decided that ‘O’Connor’ was the right match for it,” he said.
“Once we landed on Waxy O’Connor, we thought about creating a character for it to give it a personality.”
Although Salussolia is not Irish himself, he said authenticity was central to his vision for the business.
He visited pubs across Ireland before opening Waxy’s, taking inspiration from The Quays in Galway and employing an Irish designer and builder.
“We were very precious about creating the most authentic feeling business,” he said.
Drinks were capped at their original 1996 prices (Photo by Mark Murphy)He also spoke about the importance of their Irish staff and their service.
“There’s a beauty in what we call ‘multiple order taking’, which is a very traditional Irish thing to do,” he said.
“Our Irish customers come in here and appreciate it.”
Music has become an increasingly important part of the pub’s heart, with performances now taking place seven days a week rather than being limited to weekends as they were in the beginning.
“Great Irish bars have a warm welcome, great craic, fireplaces, music and great customer service,” Salussolia said.
The venue itself was formed by connecting two separate premises: Sweeney Todd’s nightclub at the back and Flanagan’s restaurant at the front.
The resulting space has the distinctive tree room, centred around the pub’s famous tree.
Steve and Henry played a mix of Irish trad classics and modern crowd pleasers (Photo by Mark Murphy)Salussolia said that Rupert Street was once considered a bit of a backwater location for the business.
“I can remember people saying to me back in the day, 'You're very brave opening at this location’,” he said.
“30 years later they now go, 'What a phenomenal location it is!'"
Waxy O’Connor’s also opened during a turning point for Irish people in Britain, as Riverdance was gaining international popularity and the peace process in Ireland had begun.
Salussolia believes that helped the pub find its audience among London’s Irish community.
“What that meant was the Irish community in London were very proud of being Irish, and they wanted to come out and celebrate,” he said.
“They came into Waxy’s as a pub that they could recognise from home, and they just adopted us, and the business just grew from there.”
Now three decades on, Salussolia said his focus remains on building a business that will endure for generations.
“We’re a family business, and when we look at something, we don’t just look at something for five or six years; we look at it as a generational business,” he said.
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