London’s Covent Garden at Christmas (Includes interview and first-hand account)

Covent Garden is a popular tourist district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin’s Lane and Drury Lane.

There are different routes to reach the area. One way is via Regent Street, which has an angel theme for its Christmas lights this year.

Taking inspiration from the shopping hub’s earliest Christmas lights in 1954, this year’s display features 16 illuminated spirits and sweeps into the surrounding streets of Piccadilly.

Tim Sandle

An alternative route is via Carnaby Street, synonymous with the “swinging sixties.” This year the area focuses on peace, love and understanding. This year, the inspiration for Carnaby’s Christmas lights comes from the Victoria and Albert museum’s new exhibition ‘You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-1970′.

The always vibrant Carnaby Street lights rarely disappoint.

Tim Sandle

On reaching Covent Garden visitors can opt for designer shops or a large craft market. Both a lit spectacularly this year.

Crowds of visitors at London’s Covent Garden, December 2016. The decorations have a mistletoe theme.

Tim Sandle

The Covent Garden area has long been associated with both entertainment and shopping.

Covent Garden contains many boutique and specialist shops, many of which look spectacular at Christmas.

Tim Sandle

With the postcode WC2, Covent Garden falls within the London boroughs of Westminster and Camden. It is renowned for offering a different shopping and entertainment experience. One of the specialist shops is a store that sells pipes, cigars and various tobacco products from around the world. A traditional Highlander statue stands guard as people walk passed the entrance of this charming shop in the heart of Covent Garden’s Market Building.

Frozen in time, tobacconist Segar & Snuff is a Covent Garden institution.

Tim Sandle

In contrast to a store for adults, another example of what the area has to offer is a toy shop, full of handmade toys for children of all ages. Pollocks toy shop was one of the original shops to open in the newly renovated Covent Garden Piazza building in 1980.

Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop was established in London’s Hoxton back in 1856. The shop moved to Covent Garden in 1980 and today still sells the same paper toy theatres it always has.
Read more at http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/place/74980-benjamin-pollocks-toyshop#JhDswhmK42Q2Qvxc.99

Tim Sandle

There are other specialist shops selling a range of Christmas-themed gifts.

One shop has a strong Christmas theme, focusing on the 1930s.

Tim Sandle

As well as boutique shops there are many market stalls, selling crafts and food.

Various market stalls in Covent Garden. Many visitors step inside the Market Building to browse food and craft stalls as well as some big-name retailers.

Tim Sandle

A colorful Christmas wreath adorns one of the shops in Covent Garden.

Tim Sandle

To add to this there are plenty of restaurants and traditional pubs. One such establishment is The Crusting Pipe, one of Covent Gardens most original finds. Inside the vaulted interior of the dining rooms and bar there are numerous nooks, crannies and semi private rooms.

The Crusting Pipe is on the lower ground floor of Covent Garden’s vibrant Market Building, an ideal spot for a glass of wine or a light snack.

Tim Sandle

Another interesting restaurant in Masala Zone, serving traditional India cuisine. The eatery is noted for its colorful puppets hanging from the ceiling.

Indian street food, regional curries including vegetarian, Indian grills can all be found on the menu.

Tim Sandle

Covent Garden’s cobbled piazza and market buildings are irresistible at this time of year. Each year there is a different theme. For 2016 there are over 40 mistletoe chandeliers hanging over the area’s streets and in the pretty market buildings.

Covent Garden’s famous Market Building is adorned with 45 mistletoe chandeliers – each ranging from 2.5 to 3.5m in size with 700 glistening berries as ‘Meet Me Under the Mistletoe’ returns to the neighbourhood.

Tim Sandle

The area is also well-known for live performances, from street theater to opera singers. In the photograph, a classical music quartet are performing in the build-up to Christmas.

Covent Garden is licensed for street entertainment, and performers audition for timetabled slots in a number of venues around the market, including the North Hall, West Piazza, and South Hall Courtyard.

Tim Sandle

The central square in Covent Garden is simply called “Covent Garden”, often marketed as “Covent Garden Piazza” to distinguish it from the eponymous surrounding area.Each main area in London has a Christmas tree, and Covent Garden Piazza is no exception.

The colorful Christmas tree, located in the central area of Covent Garden.

Tim Sandle

For a fun way to shop or to see a different part of London, Covent Garden at Christmas never disappoints.