Living in Covent Garden: The packed performance zone around Covent Garden piazza has long been a hive of activity, since its existence as the largest fruit and vegetable market in England to the present day.

Now the capital's premier entertainment district is the first port of call for the throngs of tourists, caffeine junkies, health freaks and theatre-goers pounding Covent Garden’s pavements each day. Self-indulgent shoppers seek out antique bric-a-brac, kitsch handmade jewellery and designer clobber while sampling Covent Garden’s copious open-air cafés, restaurants and market stalls.

With the growth of the fruit, vegetable and flower market in the 17th Century Covent Garden fell from grace and became a breeding ground of violence and sin complete with stand-offs outside taverns. Over the years since Covent Garden has given birth to a string of successful ventures including Sainsbury’s, Moss Bros, Sotheby’s and Samuel French and is once again a chic hot spot.

Now christened ‘Theatreland’ Covent Garden prides itself on being the nurturer of the newly renovated Royal Opera House, the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and a string of prestigious theatres. Covent Garden is the only area in London licensed for street entertainment and the Italian-style piazza is the best spot to catch a glimpse at jugglers, mime artists, variety acts and musicians from the world over. The main streets and squares are St Martins Lane, Seven Dials, Monmouth Street, Garrick Street, Long Acre, Maiden Lane, The Covent Garden Piazza, Bow Street, Great Queen Street, Shorts Gardens, Strand, Bedford Street, Drury Lane, Charing Cross Road, Floral Street, King Street, Endell Street, Kingsway, Newton Street, Aria House

Whether you are looking to sell or buy a property, or wishing to let or rent, we realise it is an important and personal transaction for you. As established West End Estate Agents, our partners and staff have an in-depth knowledge of the Covent Garden property market and will offer you honest and sensible advice.As members of the National Association of Estate Agents, Association of Residential Letting Agents and the Estate Agents Ombudsman Scheme, you can be assured of the highest standards of professionalism at all times

Location of Covent Garden

Covent Garden is in the borough of Westminster and is loosely bordered by Charing Cross Road to the west, New Oxford Street to the north, Kingsway to the east and The Strand to the south.

Covent Garden is fairly traffic-free and despite its mish-mash layout is easy to navigate. Neal Street, the main drag, is paved for pedestrian’s making it a safe pleasure to explore, especially in the summer when crowds can be overwhelming.

Neal Street’s real estate has evolved through the years from the former 19th century storehouses to today‘s small art galleries, restaurants and shops trading everything from oriental goods to kites. Neal's Yard, off Shorts Gardens, is an oasis of health food eateries and natural remedy stores, and Denmark Street, near St Giles-in-the-Fields, is legendary for its musical instrument shops.

Nearby areas include:

• Holborn
• Charing Cross
• Embankment
• Leicester Square
• Bloomsbury
• Soho
• Whitehall

Transport

Covent Garden tube station can be heavily congested and is best avoided during weekends, but there are a number of London Underground stations nearby from which to enter Covent Garden.

The haphazard arrangement of the winding streets, alleyways and courtyards which make Covent Garden so endearing aren’t designed for London’s large double-decker and ‘bendy’ buses. Recommended access by bus or foot is best from the main domains of Shaftsbury Avenue, The Strand, New Oxford Street, Charing Cross Road, High Holborn and Kingsway.

Nearest Tube Stations:

• Covent Garden (Piccadilly line)
• Leicester Square (Piccadilly & Northern lines)
• Embankment (District, Circle, Bakerloo & Northern lines)
• Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo & National Rail)
• Holborn (Central & Piccadilly lines)
• Tottenham Court Road (Central & Northern lines)

 
Architecture of Covent Garden

Freehold properties are scarce in Covent Garden and range from converted warehouses to period Georgian. Hidden away are fabulous innovative penthouses with roof terraces and converted period buildings in quaint streets with echoes of the old Covent Garden market, such as Rose and Floral Streets.

There are new developments in Trafalgar Square, Drury Lane, Garrick Street and Henrietta Street overlooking the famous ‘Actors Church’ of St Paul’s. Red brick mansion blocks can be found in pedestrianised streets such as Broad Court while there are inexpensive buys in ex-local authority courtyards such as Martlett Court, Beaumont Buildings and Oldham’s Walk near Covent Garden Station.

The consistently strong rental market is heavily populated in Covent Garden, from celebrities and city businessmen to students, and property is always at a premium. There’s a constant demand for the area because everyone wants to experience this vibrant and popular central hub.

History of Covent Garden

Covent Garden market was laid out in 1632 by English architect Inigo Jones, with neoclassical arcades enclosing stalls in which fruit, vegetables, and flowers were sold. It was established on the site of the Abbot of Westminster's convent garden, from which the area's name is derived.

The market expanded significantly when the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed the markets in the City. In 1921 the Ministry of Food condemned the market as inadequate for the necessities of trade and it was relocated to Nine Elms decades later in 1974, leaving empty market buildings and numerous vacant premises in the hinterland.

The oldest theatres are the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, established in 1660 and The Royal Opera House erected in 1732.

 Highlights of Covent Garden

Covent Garden is the place to be for theatre in London, if not the world. There’s no-end of spotlight spectacle with West End actors forever treading the boards in musicals, plays, stand-up comedies and fringe, while a host of restaurants offer pre-theatre meal deals.

The London Transport Museum features a history of the world's first Underground Train System and a good collection of Art Deco Posters. A stone-throw away is Floral Street which is noted for its designer fashion, while Long Acre has more mainstream chains.

Discover the sheer pleasure of surrendering to the pampering experience that is The Sanctuary or walk from Leicester Square along Long Acre, passing the Stanford, the world's largest travel bookstore. Wander toward The Strand and drop in at the elegant Savoy Hotel for tea, or just sit back and watch the world go by in one of the outdoor cafés in the main piazza.

 Other places of interest in Covent Garden

• Theatre Museum
  Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  
  
• The Hospital
  24 Endell Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HQ
  Tel: 020 7170 9100
  
  
• Neal's Yard Dairy
  19 Short's Gardens, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9UP
  Tel: 020 7240 5700
  
  
• Apple Market
  Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7836 9136
  
  
• Crime In Store
  London's Crime & Mystery Bookshop, 14 Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7379 3795
  
  
• St Paul's Church
  Bedford St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED
  Tel: 020 7836 5221
  
  
• Royal Opera House backstage tours
  Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD
  Tel: 020 7304 4000

 
Covent Garden Bars and Pubs

• Light Bar
  St Martins Lane Hotel, 45 St Martins Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4HX
  Tel: 020 7300 5500
  
  
• Detroit
  35 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London WC2 H9LT
  Tel: 020 7240 2662
  
  
• Adam Street
  9 Adam Street, Covent Garden, London WC2N 6AA
  Tel: 020 7379 8000
  
  
• Crown & Anchor
  22 Neal St, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9PS
  Tel: 020 7836 5649
  
  
• Gardening Club
  4 The Piazza, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8HB
  
  
• AKA
  18 West Central Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7836 0110
  
  
• West Street
  13-15 West Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7010 8600
  
  
• The Porterhouse
  21-22 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7379 7917
  
  
• The Round House
  1 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7836 9838
  
  

Covent Garden Restaurants

• The Ivy
  1 West Street, Covent Garden, London
  Tel: 020-7836-4751
  
  
• Chez Gerard
  45 East Terrace, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RF
  Tel: 020 7379 0666
  
  
• Bertorelli
  44a Floral Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DA
  Tel: 020 7836 3969
  
  
• Rules
  35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7LB
  Tel: 020 7836 5314
  
  
• Sapori
  43 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2B
  Tel: 020 7836 8296
  
  
• Mon Plaisir
  21 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7836 7243
  
  
• L'Estaminet
  14 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7379 1432
  
  
• J Sheekey
  28-32 St Martins Court, Covent Garden, London WC2
  Tel: 020 7240 2565