Covent Garden, London

...that area of London called Covent Garden. Covent Garden is possibly one of the most ill-defined areas of London. Most people think only of the market when they hear the name but in truth the area spreads further than that, out to Leicester Square to the west and the Strand to the south, Covent Garden is as spread out as it is diverse and there truly is something for everyone here.

The joy of Covent Garden is that there is a well defined ...
...One word of warning, Covent Garden tube station is one of the deepest on the underground network and access to the street is via one of four cavernous lifts. This can lead to congestion at the station (and indeed, on Saturdays the station is exit only from 1300 – 1700 due to the large numbers of people visiting the area). Don’t forget that you will need your ticket immediately you exit the lift so be prepared or you could get trampled! ... more

So, you are spending the day in London but for whatever reason you have done “the major tourist sights” and can’t see the difference between shopping in Oxford Street and at your out of town mall (other than the fact that it is easier to park, inside, less crowded, more compact but has the same shops). What do you do?

You could do worse than head to that area of London called Covent Garden. Covent Garden is possibly one of the most ill-defined areas of London. Most people think only of the market when they hear the name but in truth the area spreads further than that, out to Leicester Square to the west and the Strand to the south, Covent Garden is as spread out as it is diverse and there truly is something for everyone here.

The joy of Covent Garden is that there is a well defined starting point, Covent Garden Station accessible from the Piccadilly Line (the navy blue one!). One word of warning, Covent Garden tube station is one of the deepest on the underground network and access to the street is via one of four cavernous lifts. This can lead to congestion at the station (and indeed, on Saturdays the station is exit only from 1300 – 1700 due to the large numbers of people visiting the area). Don’t forget that you will need your ticket immediately you exit the lift so be prepared or you could get trampled! There are stairs to street level but there are an awful lot and you are warned at the base of the staircase not to attempt the climb unless you are sure. The alternative for those who can’t use lifts (or for getting back if the station is closed) is to use Leicester Square station (also on the Piccadilly Line, Northern Line and Bakerloo Line) which is a mere 0.16 miles as the crow flies (or the track lies!) from Covent Garden. Just follow the black signs!

Once at the station what do you do? The traditional market lies to your right as you come out of the station. The area is absolutely steeped in history with archaeological finds dating back to Saxon times and earlier. In its more recent past the market square was a piazza in front of St Paul’s church (not the Wren church) surrounded by grand houses. The piazza was a public square and this ultimately led to its downfall as the rich land owner’s tired of the constant invasion of privacy. As the rich tenants left, room was made for the more bohemian characters that still haunt Covent Garden. Room was also made for a fruit and vegetable market, evidence of which can still be seen today in the signs on the walls of the covered market. Charles Fowler was the architect responsible for the roof (although it was originally unglazed). The flower market then followed (in the area that is now the London Transport Museum) – think Oliver Twist and the market scenes (“Who will buy?”) and you will have a pretty accurate image.

Then, in 1973 it was decided that the fruit an veg market was to move (to Nine Elms). This left the planners with a quandary. The prime site in the centre of London would have attracted astronomical rents and development fees and plans were tabled to build offices and conference centres. These plans were met with extreme concern by local residents, the general public and traders who had not moved to Nine Elms. The result, a vibrant shopping area was borne displaying almost unique qualities.

Within the modern market area you will find all sorts of curios. There are two market areas with crafts and arts being the main offerings. There are a few permanent shops too, niche businesses, the variety and richness of which make Covent Garden what it is. A few high street regulars have crept into the fray (with Body Shop and Monsoon being typical) and a couple of “tourist traps” have sprung up selling Union Jack clad memorabilia (but we should not complain for tourism is the major contributor to the lifeblood of this area).

Surrounding the market there are further, larger stores, all pretty new as they were incorporated in the new design of the Royal Opera House. Worthy of a mention too is the Dr Martens store, one of the largest in the world, situated to the west of the square next to St Paul’s church.

You don’t want to shop? Are you mad? OK. How about taking in some of the free street entertainment then. In keeping with it’s chequered past Covent Garden is a platform for many entertainers. From the classical to the comical you will find it here. There are several designated performance spaces throughout the area. Directly outside St Paul’s is a space often used by magicians, jugglers and the like. To the east lies a similar space. Go into the covered area and you will see some steps leading down to an underground level with some curio shops. In the space between the shops you will usually find classical performers, opera singers and string quartets playing crowd-pleasing pieces. Then dotted around the site you will find caricaturists, artists, psychics and palm readers, rock musicians, the ubiquitous pan pipe and gamalan players and those amazing human statues. One thing you can be assured of though is that the quality will be good. All performers must be licensed and to get a licence they need to audition. There are a limited number of licences available each year and a limited number given out to any one type of act. The performers must pay for their licences so when the hat goes round, please show your appreciation and keep the vibrancy alive.

So, now you are hungry? Panic ye not! Name a food type and it will almost certainly be represented within a 10 minute walk of the Garden. From chains such as Pret and Pizza Hut to one offs such as Rules and Christophers, from budget to break the bank the choice is endless. If you want a specific recommendation then let me know and I will see what I can do. I could not possibly do justice within the confines of an opinion – it requires a book! The same goes for cafes, wine bars and pubs (even if it did take four of us three attempts to find a pub with a free table on Saturday (we had a pregnant woman with us!)).

What about other things to do? If you have children, well worth a visit is the London Transport museum next to the market and you don’t have to be a train spotter to enjoy it! It is open from 1000 to 1800 every day (other than Fridays when it opens at 1100) and costs £5.95 for adults with children under 16 going free.

Less well known but equally good fun is the Theatre museum situated on Russell Street. This one is free to all! They often run activities for kids where they can dress up and act on stage in the company of professional west end actors so it is well worth checking their website (www.theatremuseum.org) to see what is going on.

Also within easy walking distance are the Courtard Gallery, Somerset House and the National Gallery.

Dark falls but you don’t want to go home. How about the theatre? Covent Garden is in the centre of theatreland. Try box offices for returns or, if you can face the queues try the half-price ticket booth in the centre of Leicester Square before 2pm for matinees and after for evening shows. (Please beware of ticket touts and rip-off sellers though – know what you are buying and how much it is really worth!). An opinion on Covent Garden would not be complete without a reference to the Royal Opera House. Rebuilt in 2000 this is the home to both the Royal Opera Company and the English National Ballet. Tickets can be suprisingly cheap but the do sell out so pre-booking is almost essential. Some performances have tickets reserved for sale on the day of the performance but these are generally limited to one per person and are only available in person from the box office.

If you fancy clubbing you are on the doorstep of some of the most exciting venues in the Capital. Bypass the Hippodrome (although if you have never done it it can be good for a laugh) and head instead for some of the smaller venues, the Roadhouse (on the Piazza), Bad Bob’s or for a Latin night, Salsa Bar (not to be confused with Salsa! on Charring Cross Road).

For cinema head to Leicester Square although you should beware of the prices – it is about twice, if not three times as expensive as going to your local! (there are a couple of cheapies around but they are no different to your local!).

Head home, tired yet refreshed!

Check out events at www.coventgardenlife.co.uk – there is often something special on, be it a Shrove Tuesday pancake race, an opera festival, a Christmas Fayre or similar.

Claire

PS All of the above ignores the fact that Covent Garden is also the site for commerce with many businesses having offices in the surrounding streets. Covent Garden truly is a living and working area of London and has benefited hugely from the campaign to save it. Currently there is a similar campaign in support of the preservation of Spitalfields near Liverpool Street where plans for a new office complex threaten its existence. This is an area akin to Covent Garden although tending more towards antiques than art. Visit www.smut.org.uk and sign the petition. The people won before and we can do it again!
 

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