With a London COVID lockdown Wilbur is cheering himself up by revisiting some unused clips and locations filmed last year. Join him on this walk from tranquil Soho Square to busy Covent Garden. All filmed in beautiful 4K. Turn on closed captions (CC) for interesting historical facts.
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00:06 - Soho Square
01:30 - Greek Street
03:41 - Old Compton Street
04:30 - Cambridge Circus
06:42 - Seven Dials
08:54 - Neal Street
10:20 - Long Acre
10:30 - Covent Garden
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=== Notes from today's walk - turn on closed captions (CC) to read in realtime ===
= 00:06 - Soho Square =
We've started in Soho Square. It was originally called King Square after Charles II. You might have spotted the statue of Charles II that we walked past earlier. It has stood in the square since 1661
The small octagonal black and white building we passed in the square was built in 1926. It hides part of an electricity substation which supplies surrounding homes and businesses
Today Soho Square hosts open-air free concerts during the summer
= 01:30 - Greek Street =
We're now in Greek Street which leads south from Soho Square to Shaftesbury Avenue. Greek Street is known for its selection of restaurants, cafes and bars ... and in non-COVID times is usually very busy!
It is thought the name of the street comes from a Greek church that was built in 1677
The area of Soho is part of the City of Westminster and one of the main entertainment districts in London since the 1800s. Many of the remaining old buildings were houses owned by the rich upper class but many moved out after Soho was badly hit by an outbreak of cholera in 1854
As well as the nightlife, until recently, Soho also had a reputation as the centre of London's sex industry. But today it's mainly a gentrified area of upmarket restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
The building on the right is the side of Prince Edward Theatre which opened on 3 April 1930. The theatre entrance is on Old Compton Street which we'll see in a moment
= 03:41 - Old Compton Street =
Old Compton Street is the heart of London's gay district with lots of bars, shops and other venues. The street is pedestrianised each year to become a big party for London's Gay Pride each June
This video was shot at the start of the COVID pandemic when many businesses were shut and restaurants and bars were only able to operate outside.
= 04:30 - Cambridge Circus =
We're walking down Moor Street now towards Shaftesbury Avenue. This is Cambridge Circus - the intersection where Shaftesbury Avenue crosses Charing Cross Road
Just behind us to the right is the Palace Theatre which is currently showing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
= 06:42 - Seven Dials =
We're now on Earlham Street walking towards Seven Dials. Usually you'll find this street buzzing with shops and market stalls
Coming up ahead is Seven Dials where seven streets converge at the circular junction. At the centre of which is a column bearing six sundials. Unfortunately, a seventh road was added after they'd already commissioned the column
Initially developed in 1690s to become a wealthy upmarket area it deteriorated to become one of the most notorious slums in London
= 08:54 - Neal Street and Long Acre =
We're now coming towards Neal Street which is full of small boutique shops and restaurants - and a great place to visit when things start to reopen. Neal Street runs onto Long Acre which we'll join in a moment
Long Acre used to be famous in London for its car dealerships but today is mainly clothing and retail stores
= 10:30 - Covent Garden =
We've just passed Covent Garden tube station and walking down towards the market. The area is a popular shopping and tourist site including the Royal Opera House, London Transport Museum and Covent Garden Market (which we'll see in a moment).
Covent Garden used to be an old former fruit-and-vegetable market that first opened in 1654. The fruit and vegetable market was moved three miles away to Nine Elms in 1980. In the 18th century it was notorious for its abundance of brothels.
Street entertainment on the Covent Garden Piazza has been happening since May 1662. Although it's quiet today you'll find performers here 365 days a year - and they have to audition for the prime spots!
(Information from Wikipedia and other sources)
Music - Ambiment - The Ambient by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100630 Artist: incompetech.com/
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