Ye Olde King’s Head has needed extra staff to handle large crowds after the Twilight Concert Series shows, which bring thousands of people to Santa Monica Pier for Thursday night music during the summer.
But this week’s act could make for an even busier evening. Indeed, the British are coming.
The arrival of the Psychedelic Furs for a night of English rock coincides with an influx of visitors from the United Kingdom and the increased presence of expats who have settled in the beachside city.
“There are lots of British tourists in town right now,” said Lynne Kerr, manager at the British pub on Santa Monica Boulevard. “There’s a big expat community too, and they’ll all be going down to the pier.”
The number of Great Britain natives living in Santa Monica has fluctuated over the years, but they comprise a strong and visible community. There were 1,369 UK-born Santa Monicans in 2014, according to U.S. Census estimates from the American Community Survey. That’s more than the 1,290 estimated in 2013 and also more than the figures estimated for any of the preceding three years.
Santa Monica also plays host to a steady stream of British tourists, who make up one of the biggest foreign traveling contingents to the beachside city each year. The nearly 400,000 UK citizens who visited Santa Monica in 2015 spent about $84 million locally, according to data from Santa Monica Travel and Tourism. The city tourism bureau recently launched a pop-up rooftop lounge in London to reinforce Santa Monica as a travel destination.
Residents and tourists of British descent are both expected to attend tonight’s concert with the Psychedelic Furs, who were founded in London in the late 1970s and who have built up an international following over the last four decades.
“We’re excited to be playing a free show for our fans in Santa Monica and the area around there,” bassist Tim Butler said in a phone interview. “It’s great to give back to the fans, and we’ve always enjoyed playing in Southern California.”
Longevity is just one link between the band and King’s Head, which has been around since 1974. The pub is well-known among locals and tourists alike for its dining room, outdoor patio and gift shop.
“They know we’re here,” Kerr said of returning travelers from the United Kingdom. “But new people come in also.”
Summer tends to be slightly slower for business at the Continental Shop, a Wilshire Boulevard store featuring British groceries, videos, souvenirs and other novelty items. That’s because many of its local clients return home to the UK at this time of year, according to owner Michael Clewer.
The British community grew in Santa Monica as workers came to Southern California for jobs in the flourishing aerospace industry, Clewer said.
“A lot of customers bring in [visiting] family members to show them what they can get here,” said Clewer, who took over the business from his father. “They come in when they’re craving something from home. And we get a lot of business from the hotels because the concierges send drivers to get things for special guests.”
Clewer admitted that he wasn’t aware the Psychedelic Furs were scheduled to perform in Santa Monica but said he remembered listening to the group’s tunes years ago.
“Oh, to be young again,” he said. “It’s good music.”
Many concertgoers have been taking advantage of happy-hour specials at King’s Head before heading down to the pier on Thursday evenings, Kerr said. And when the shows end, traffic at the pub spikes again.
“Afterward, it’s really busy,” she said.
