Ye Olde Swiss Cottage in London was gaudy, draughty and built on a traffic island. But it was just the escape I needed

Early in my career, I was going through a difficult chapter in work and life. Having moved down to London from Glasgow, I felt socially untethered, unsure of where I belonged. I yearned to feel part of a gang like I’d done back home, but I had no clue about how to find one.