Coffee in Covent Garden
If you've read this blog before, you'll know that I've been taking part in the Cultural Experience Award at University. We are assessed on elements of our blogs, and through a reflective essay on Culture in London: I plan to write about a particular (possibly peculiar) aspect of one of my favourite parts of the city; Covent Garden. So before my seminar the other day I took myself (and my boyfriend's camera) to the area to wander round and make some notes.
[1] Ben Aaronovich, 'Moon Over Soho', (London: Gollancz, 2011) Amazon Kindle e-book, (Chapter 2, Paragraph 6, Location 463).
There's a wonderful series of books, that I've quoted from before: the PC Peter Grant Novels. In the second book, 'Moon Over Soho', Grant says 'Every Londoner has their manor - a collection of bits of the city where they feel comfortable.'[1] For me, Covent Garden is one of the 'bits' of the city where I feel most comfortable. It's possibly because whenever I came to visit London, before I lived in the city, it was one of the places I would always head for, either as a tourist, to see a show, or for auditions at Pineapple Studios. And now I work in the area, and go to University there, so it's definitely the part of London I know best.
Covent Garden in London was originally designated as a working garden for Westminster Abbey in the thirteenth century, with a small fruit market operating alongside. Despite later reconstruction into a residential development, the flower, fruit, and vegetable market continued to operate, eventually becoming a prime visitor attraction even as the area fell into disrepute.
Covent Garden reclaimed a measure of prestige when redeveloped as a shopping centre in the 1980’s, and the area became known for independent shops and small retail outlets. Performance has been a part of the streets of Covent Garden since at least the seventeenth century, with the first recorded Punch and Judy Puppet Show taking place on the site in 1662.[2]
The Punch and Judy Pub, overlooking the Piazza
I have written about the area before: at the end of the first semester, when considering our module assignments, I drew on elements of Street Performance when looking at performative sites and spaces.
When I interviewed the performer Mat Ricardo, as research
for the essay, he claimed that, for him, Covent Garden piazza is ‘the greatest
street pitch in the world’ due to the architecture of the site; he compared the
multiple pavement levels, and the balcony of the adjoining public house to
theatre seating structures.
Ricardo also points out that, with the backdrop of
St. Pauls Covent Garden church, the space itself ‘is a theatre: it’s got a
proscenium arch, and it’s the only street pitch in the world with wings!’[3] He
even told me that the piazza has a theatre license: that this particular square
of land is designated as a theatre![4]
One of the main reasons that I love Covent Garden so much is because all of London Cultural life can be found here: from 'high' arts (represented by the Royal Opera House), to 'low' (buskers and street performers), and everything in between (fringe theatres, pubs that offer live performance, museums, etc.). There are high street chains, boutique stores, and independent retailers; craft stalls and antique sellers. Tourists and locals fight for space, but, on a quiet Sunday morning, on my way to work, I love walking through the area unencumbered by crowds.
Street Performer in the Piazza ** Antique and Curio seller in the Apple Market
String Quartet in the Courtyard ** Chain Store, next to Independent Shop, through to the Coffee Shop.
String Quartet in the Courtyard ** Chain Store, next to Independent Shop, through to the Coffee Shop.
This picture, for me, represents so much about Covent Garden culture: the tourists taking pictures next to the iconic red telephone boxes (which themselves are next to the first police station!); the little ballerina statue; the Royal Opera House; locals taking a break from work with a coffee.
I urge everyone to spend time in Covent Garden: in the main plaza there are multiple pitches for street performers, so there's always something happening; the markets are fascinating, and the restaurants are lovely. And, if you cross Long Acre and head towards Seven Dials, there are dozens of tiny, winding streets to explore!
[2]
Covent Garden, ‘Street Performers’, <https://www.coventgarden.london/street-performers>
[accessed 26 December 2017].
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