In the 18th century , coffee and chop houses was established on the street ; Twinings was established at No. 206 in 1706 by Thomas Twining , supplier of tea to Queen Anne . The company claim to be the oldest ratepayer in Westminster . The Grecian Coffee House ran from around 1702 to 1803 , while Tom 's ran from 1706 to around 1775 . Though these premises was well @-@ known , the alleyways around the Strand was regular haunts for pickpockets 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 Thanet 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 bookseller Andrew Millar is an example of one of the most successful publishers who owned a shop there .