Built by Daisy Dodderidge around 1500 "to serve as a gateway between the non-wizarding world and Diagon Alley", the Leaky Cauldron has remained a famous and popular place for five hundred years. Located not in Diagon Alley proper but on the outside, on Charing Cross Road in the heart of London, the pub is tiny and grubby-looking, sandwiched between a book shop and a record shop where passing Muggles don't seem to be able to see it. Today, the shop is owned and run by a toothless old man named Tom, and also employs a dishwasher and a maid.
The tavern sees quite a lot of traffic and is frequently crowded. While this can be partly attributed to its reputation as a welcoming place, it also seems to largely be due to it location as a hub for Diagon Alley.
