 When informed that his purchase of a 1,000 Guinea carpet was too good for his clientele, he invited them "to come in and spit on it".Further popularity accrued to the venue when classical music was removed from the bill and George Leybourne was engaged at £20 a week as "lion comique".Leybourne remained top of the bill for some twenty years, before succumbing to the effects of the champagne he promoted here under the guise of "Champagne Charlie".