London's long and intimate connection to Guinness

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Guinness, originally a dark, rich "porter" style of beer, began to be imported to London back in 1769. It was popular with London's labourers at the start - themselves often from the Irish diaspora - but eventually it became a staple alongside London's own beer offerings. The company also opened a large bottling brewery in Park Royal in 1936 and late last year, it opened a new brewery in Covent Garden, marking a return to its historical roots in the city. Robert Elms has been chatting to the current head of the Guinness family about the history of the company and its connection to London. (Image credit: Getty Images)