 In the 18th century , coffee and chop houses were established on the street ; <unk> was established at No. 206 in 1706 by Thomas <unk> , supplier of tea to Queen Anne . The company claims to be the oldest <unk> in Westminster . The Grecian Coffee House ran from around <unk> to 1803 , while Tom 's ran from 1706 to around 1775 . Though these premises were well @-@ known , the alleyways around the Strand were regular haunts for <unk> and prostitutes during this time . The Rose Tavern , at the eastern end of the street , was frequented by lawyers during the 18th century . It was later demolished and became <unk> Place . The Crown and Anchor was the main meeting place for the Catholic Association and helped established the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 . It was later used for Catholic politicians such as Daniel O 'Connell to address constituents . The original premises burned down in 1854 , but was rebuilt . Simpson 's @-@ in @-@ the @-@ Strand originally started at No. 100 in 1828 as a smoking and dining club . It later became a restaurant . The Strand was also notable in the 18th century as a centre for the British book trade , with numerous printers and publishers along the street . The prominent <unk> Andrew <unk> is an example of one of the most successful publishers who owned a shop there . 
