Hugo Morley brings a booming personality and unrivaled stories to the Tampa bar scene

A jolly and booming British voice echoes through the bar, followed by a hearty laugh from several patrons who no doubt just heard an outlandish tale that could only belong to one man. Wearing an ornate and often tropical printed shirt that matches his vibrant personality, the bartender approaches with a proper hello, a cocktail napkin and a smile. It’s going to be a good night, because you’re sitting at the bar of Hugo Morley.

Born in London, England, Hugo spent 10 years in the city's West End district as well as the Middle East as a stage manager for the theater, a passion that has remained with him throughout his life. Some of the companies he’s worked with include The Mill, Citizens Theatre, Lyceum, and King’s Head, with his last theater tour taking place in 1999. Morley remains a staunch supporter of the arts and frequents comedy clubs, arena concerts and theatrical performances both locally and abroad.

His family has a long and storied history in the arts, to put it lightly. His grandfather, Robert Morley, received an Academy Award nomination in 1939 for his role of Louis XVI in “Marie Antoinette”. His father, Sheridan Morley, wrote several biographies, the most notable being that of playwright and composer Noël Coward. Hugo’s great-grandmother was one of the first actors to play Peter Pan on stage, and so on—until one realizes there may be no end to his family’s legacy in the arts.

While still living over the pond, Morley interestingly worked at England’s flagship Pizza Hut in 1986, which carried beer and wine. Though it’s doubtful slinging beers with breadsticks lended much to his flair for bartending, it did give him an appetite for the hospitality industry and the unique people and experiences it provides. While he thoroughly enjoyed his time in the theater world, an opportunity abroad soon came knocking at his door in 1997, and so the story of how he ended up in Florida, and specifically Tampa, began.

Hugo’s uncle, Wilton, runs the storied South Tampa pub Mad Dogs and Englishmen. That summer, Hugo came to work at the pub for a couple of months, as the theater season in London was typically slow during this time. He came back again in ‘98, this time staying for about six months. Hugo officially made the Tampa Bay Area his home in 2000 and started working at an AMC in Brandon as a manager before moving to bartending full time in 2001.

He spent the majority of his bartending career at Mad Dogs and Englishmen, but he’s graced the bars of many other establishments since then. He currently works at Oggi Italian restaurant on Davis Island and Shuffle in Tampa Heights, where he’s been for the last three years. He also holds an office job at the Davis Islands private social club MerryMakers and bartends at private events that often have him rubbing elbows with some of Tampa’s biggest names, like when he recently worked at Carlito Fuente’s 70th birthday at the Cuban Club in Ybor City.

Morley’s social media profile boasts numerous photos with famous folks he’s met, including Boy George, Alan Cumming, and Mitch Hedberg. He once drank vodka with the yardbirds in Muscat, Oman, while he was on one of his Middle Eastern theater tours. His godfather, the aforementioned composer Noel Coward, has one of his songs, “London Pride,” playing at the England pavilion in Epcot.

When “Monty Python” actor John Cleese was in the Bay area several years ago, Hugo wrote to him and invited him to meet for lunch. Cleese responded and accepted the invitation, though he initially forgot to keep the date. When they did meet up at his uncle’s pub, they ended up spending about two hours together. Three years later, Cleese performed at the Straz Center and invited Hugo onto his tour bus after the show. They had a few drinks and talked about Morley’s grandfather, as well as the shared opinion that “Cheers” is one of the greatest sitcoms ever created.

In his downtime, Morley likes to relax with some good TV or sleep, but he does still find time to make his rounds at some local haunts. He really loved The Chatterbox, one of South Howard’s first bars, when it was open. His favorite bar overall is The Coal Hole in the former cellar of the Savoy Hotel in London. These days, he mostly sticks to beer and wine when he’s imbibing, but he’ll have the occasional bloody mary or espresso martini when the moment strikes and often frequents The Dog Saloon in South Tampa.

Morley is the definition of a classic bartender with an old-school work ethic. Unlike many bartenders on social media that complain about what drink orders they find annoying to make or other bothersome customer requests, he understands that his job behind the bar is to provide an enjoyable experience for his guests. His preferred soundtrack while working is classic rock, and he handles busy moments with the patience and charismatic charm that only a true professional can achieve.

While he says there truly aren’t many pet peeves he has behind the bar, he does think it’s important that regulars and employees alike are able to “read the room” and act accordingly. He, like most bartenders, isn’t a fan of politics being discussed because it can often incite heated moments between customers, especially once a certain amount of alcohol is involved. If the situation arises when it’s time for someone to go, he’ll quietly take them aside and politely explain the scenario to the barred guest, as opposed to loudly embarrassing them in front of other patrons.

When asked what his opinion is on the future of the industry, he chuckles and said, “I hope it lasts.” He followed up by saying that the post-pandemic work environment that has many working either entirely from home or a hybrid schedule will be a big determining factor. It makes sense, as people could continue to veer towards a homeward lifestyle and forgo the bar scene in exchange for a glass of wine on the couch with a good TV show. The opposite could also be true, driving remote workers to belly up to the bar in order to get some social interaction outside of a Zoom screen.

Next time you see Hugo around town, be sure to let him know how much you appreciate hearing some tales of his past, and you’re likely to be regaled with even more. Cheers!

Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is looking to share the stories of Tampa Bay’s most beloved bartenders, proprietors, and maybe even longtime regulars. Help us build the Tampa Bay Bar Scene Hall of Fame by emailing [email protected].

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