When I first came to London to work in 1979 Covent garden was in its last throes as a fruit and veg market.
Now full of stalls and shops; back then full of fruit and veg traders
It was famous everywhere for its porters with their baskets of produce precariously balanced on their heads, its pubs that opened in the evening and stayed open until the early morning* and the chaotic traffic on the fringes of the city from all the fruit and veg lorries. (*As a young lawyer starting at my new city firm in 1981, the initiation was to finish a Fox and Anchor mixed grill which comprised every sort of meat going plus a plate of chips washed down with two pints of draught Guinesss; while this had more to do with the Smithfield meat market the same arrangements applied to the Covent garden pubs – these porters ate and drank copiously; a very old world now, in my judgement, happily no more).
Chez Gerard, a rather good French restaurant was behind the screens – it may now have gone so let’s hope, if so, its replacement is as welcoming; the clutter of traffic some ends as the cobbles of the market square start
A lot of people worried what would replace the Victorian market. Offices, it was assumed. But the Greater London Council, London’s central authority who owned the site, showed foresight and imagination, not words usually associated with the group of wackos and deadbeats who manage most large cities and retained the buildings, leading the conversion to a mix of retail, restaurants and entertainment.
The south transept – sorry that’s a church, isn’t it? Sometimes it feels rather like a place to worship
the mirrored ceiling in the south hall always makes me stop and cause a pile up behind me.
As a property lawyer, in the 1990s I acted for clients who bought the market and the surrounding buildings to run them. The structure utilised in the mid 1970s still applied and the leases contained restrictions on uses.
The London Transport museum
For a landlord keen to maximise rental income any user restrictions are anathema. However these worked. They gave a veto on new tenants to the Covent garden Area Trust who, while acting reasonably could have regard to the character of the estate.
Inside one of the two main halls
In this way multiple retailers and restaurateurs have been kept out, the Transport Museum retains its place on the corner and the Jubilee Market, a place for small carts to sell a variety of nick-nacks and the usual tat and crap allows the market to retain its character.
Below are areas, once offices but now cafes and entertainment spaces. You can see the opera student in the top right corner…
This is her singing – not bad given all the background noise.
The redeveloped Opera House
Alongside the market the Covent Garden Opera House was redeveloped. It allows multiple retailers who crave a position, hardly surprising given the uniquely buzzy atmosphere of what it today one of London’s most popular tourist destinations.
The Opera House from a different view, plus James Street by the old telephone boxes – hopefully not still used as in the past : late night urinals.
Apple has its main London store there too, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but brings a slightly different perspective to the retail offering.
The main square with the Church opposite and plenty of space for mingling, buskers and general derring-do
And for me, best of all, just around the corner in Floral Street (the names echo the market history) is London’s only Tintin shop. What’s not to like?
Tomorrow D is for
Dulwich
This is part of the 2016 A to Z Blogging challenge. Please click here to find your way to other participants.
TanGental 
That looks like a fantastically interesting part of the city. I didn’t get to it last time I was there, but hopefully I’ll have another chance in the future.
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Another for the bucket list hey?
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I don’t have a bucket list because I have no plans to die.
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My first job was at Seven Dials, early 80s. The market had gone, the boutiques were moving in, and Neal’s Yard was in full swing. I preferred Old Compton Street though. Great pics though. It hasn’t changed much since those early days. Smarter, but the atmosphere seems to be the same.
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Love Covent Garden! !!
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Got to see the original Covent Garden when we were there in 1972.
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So very different now. The smell more than anything
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Oh Geoff, what a lovely walk through. I am definitely an ignorant when it comes to London, but then I only went there for a weekend 7 years ago…
I do like the historic touch, especially since it’s seen through your eyes.
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I hoped that would work. Thank you
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Loving your London theme. I’m trying to resist jumping out of the computer chair and dashing for the train to London.
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Yes now that us a dilemma. I hope I can tempt you with some of the other ideas I have.
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I love Covent Garden. 😍
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A woman of taste and dicernment
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Hate to burst your bubble, but if memory serves, I believe I freaked out over The Body Shop and L’Occitane (which I couldn’t find in the US at the time). Bought lots of skin products. 😊 Also had some amazing food. So there’s that.
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That is absolutely beautiful! We don’t have anything like that around here, but I’ve been to several big cities that have farmers markets (although they still aren’t nearly as gorgeous as this one).
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It is pretty unique even by some of the old markets the UK has produced down the years.
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What a fab place!
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Your pictures are extraordinary. And what is the secret to having them post so large ?? ☺
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Just choose large on the options before I insert. I use the dashboard to create my posts. Do you?
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I do. But I guess I’ve never paid attention to the picture size. Thanks.
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Fascinating
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A great nostalgic trip for me, with some excellent photos. Naturally, when you arrived I was soon to leave. We lived in Soho from 1975 – 1980, when we moved to Streatham, so watched the development you speak of.
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Such an interesting time. Soho must have Ben extraordinary them with the prevalence if Paul Raymond and his empire.
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Yes, Geoff. I, of course, knew it from 1960 onwards
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Love love love Covent Garden although the I was hoping for Camden! My other fave!
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Oh dear I should have asked.
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Another informative tour! 🙂 I’ve not spent much time in Covent Garden myself,despite my friends raving to me about it when I was a teenager. I may have to visit on the strength of the Tintin shop alone…
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Oh yes that is essential
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I thought that Opera Singer was a waitress in the photo until I watched the video.
On my first day in London, in 1986, I remember going to Covent Garden and almost falling through the floor when I got charged £2.00 for a pint of lager. Us Welsh chaps were not used to those sorts of prices. Back then it was a mere 89p a pint in the Labour Club!
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Shocked, I am. My first ever pint, circa 1973 was18p
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Just realised that Covent Garden features in one of my historical tales, that of the pineapple thief https://gordonlepard.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/the-pineapple-thief-a-georgian-tale/
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I remember it well…
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Thanks for sharing so many pics Geoff. I rarely go to London as large cities make my anxiety kick in, so it is lovely to see all around Covent Garden. 🙂
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A virtual tour can sometimes be the best way
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Yes, I certainly enjoyed it 🙂
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I’ce been to Covent Garden with my sister once we were in London. It was night, so the market was closed and I couldn’t visit, but the atmosphere all aroudn was lovely.
Next time I’m in London… 😉
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz
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