] But of course, one can't really believe a word JT says, more's the pity.

I just did a quick google on `Bedford Coffee House' and came up with all sorts of interesting links -- it's probably easier for anyone interested to do the same than for me to put the links here.

In sum, the Bedford was very trendy. It is just like John Thorpe to claim to be a regular there. Whether or not he met General Tilney there is entirely conjectural. It is quite possible that it's an in joke: that the General would not go there, but that Thorpe wouldn't know this.