Everyone knows about London’s biggest landmarks – the London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace – you know the rest. We sell millions of postcards of them every year, and tourists flock to the Capital to see them. But tucked away in the corners of London, there are hidden pockets of culture and incredible sights that many don’t know about. So when the sun came out today, I decided to check out one place I’d only recently heard about.
Neal’s Yard, tucked away in Covent Garden, is a tiny alleyway which takes you into a little carved out shopping centre, full of independent stores and coffee shops, and delicate tables to sip coffee at. Though I’m calling it a ‘hidden’ spot, it’s certainly not a secret to everyone – dotted around were tourists coming in for photos and Instagrammers posing with their photographers, in coats that matched the walls.
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The spot is a colourful haven, especially on a sunny day. But it’s also residential, and signs remind you to stay quiet so that everyone can enjoy peace and quiet. This appears to keep it as the kind of place you could take a book and watch the world go by for a few hours.
But after popping into a few local stores, I learned that though peace and tranquillity is at the heart of Neal’s Yard, traders still missed the Covid bustle.
Amma, who founded the incredible looking hair and nail shop in the yard, Hair By Fairy, in 1996, said it hadn’t been the same since Covid. “Neal’s Yard is beautiful,” she said. “It’s unique. But Covid has affected all business really badly.
“I used to have many more people in my shop – the tourists, the people from the offices and the theatres. We have none of that anymore.”
She adds that she used to even get a few celebrity faces popping in – Bob Geldoff and his family were regulars, as well as the lead singer of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Anthony Kiedis.
“We are surviving, know what I mean?” she says. But it’s clear she wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “It’s changed so many times, but it’s still standing up because it’s a hidden place. A connoisseur.”
A few doors down is St John’s Bakery, selling baked goods and wine (what more could you want?). The owner said: “We’ve been here three and a half years. But closed for over a year for the lockdowns.
“The areas are suffering from a lack of tourists. The offices being hybrid home working means there’s less people out – this area was always tourist dominated.”
And he’s certainly right about that – 80 per cent of the visitors at Neal’s Yard are snapping pictures as we speak.
But as I tore my eyes away from the Instagrammers and the flashing of cameras, I spotted another hidden area just beyond St John’s. It felt as though I was strolling into someone’s front yard, so I tread carefully.
Just through the tiny alley was a scene that felt like it was out of Alice in Wonderland – a sofa, dresser and piano, all covered in sprouting flowers and greenery. My favourite discovery of the day, in fact.
Overall, this spot is no secret to the Instagram models, but it was definitely a secret to me. And as a spot that’s decisively off the beaten track of Central London, it’s taken a big hit from the loss of commuters in the pandemic – and it’s clearly in need of a bit of loving.
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