Minerva House (left) and Telephone Exchange (right) on North Crescent. Photo: Fitzrovia News. A pre-planning application public consultation on plans for Minerva House and the former telephone exchange at North Crescent, Fitzrovia has opened and local people are invited to give their views on the outline proposals. Schroders, a global investment manager, acquired Minerva House […]
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Goodge Street trees hacked in half for bus diversion
How the field maple trees looked in May 2020. It took more than ten years for the field maple trees planted by Camden Council on Goodge Street to develop large and beautiful canopies to provide shade and carbon storage to combat climate change. But it only took a few hours for the council’s contractors to […]
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Developer wants to reduce social housing on Middlesex Annex site
The former Middlesex Hospital Annex and Strand Union Workhouse site at 44 Cleveland Street. The developer working on the former Middlesex Hospital Annex and Strand Union Workhouse site in Fitzrovia is seeking to reduce the amount of social rented housing and is blaming, among other things, the dead London poor for making the project “no […]
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Licensing application: Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place
Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place. Photo: Fitzrovia News. Electric Current Works Limited has (again) submitted an application for a minor variation of the premises licence at Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia. The applicants state: “The premises licence for Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place has now been transferred from the AllBright Collective to the Electric […]
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Licensing application: 6 Rathbone Place
Shaftesbury CL Limited has applied to Westminster Council for a new premises licence for 6 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia. The application seeks permission for a number of licensable activities including the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment. Opening hours of 10am to 11.30pm Monday to Thursday; 10am to midnight Friday to Saturday; and 12noon to […]
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Planning applications in Fitzrovia West, June 2021
Eighteen planning applications were registered by Westminster Council during June 2021 in Fitzrovia. Among the applications are amendments to permission for outside tables and chairs and hours of operation at 24-25 Foley Street, and 30 Foley Street and 80-82 Great Titchfield Street; amendments to planning and listed building permission at 37-41 Great Titchfield Street and […]
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Planning applications in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia, June 2021
Thirty-three planning applications were registered by Camden Council in Bloomsbury ward during June 2021. There is an application to reduce the amount of affordable housing at 44 Cleveland Street (former Middlesex Hospital Annex and Strand Union Workhouse) and other amendments; applications for pavement licences and tables and chairs at 53 Warren Street, 37 Store Street, […]
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Fitzrovia Arts Festival emerges upbeat and optimistic
Rebecca Hossack, festival director. Photo: A M Hanson. The last days of June saw Fitzrovia Arts Festival — now in it’s sixth year — emerging buoyantly post-lockdown, in a slightly scaled back but upbeat and optimistic form. Festival director Rebecca Hossack, creative director Daniel Bates, manager Julia Canavan, and the festival team collaborated with many […]
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Fitzrovia West forum to hold AGM
The Fitzrovia West neighbourhood area. The Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum is inviting all residents and people with businesses on the Westminster side of Fitzrovia to its 2021 annual general meeting, and to hear about its vision for the area ahead of a referendum on its neighbourhood plan. The meeting will be a virtual one held […]
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Licensing application: Ugly Dumpling, 30 Rathbone Place
Application for a premises licence to serve alcohol and late night refreshment at 30 Rathbone Place. UD Restaurants Limited has applied to Westminster Council for a new premises licence at 30 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia. The applicant seeks permission for the sale by retail of alcohol both on and off the premises from Monday to Thursday […]
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William Robinson and the art of calling a spade a spade
Plan of the Royal Botanic Society’s Gardens, Regents Park, where William Robinson worked from 1861 to 1866. Drawing after E.M. Sowerby, 1886. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark Robinson in his own words ‘The best-laid-out garden is that which is best fitted for its situation and conditions, and without much consideration as to any “style” in its […]
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Fire at Lore of the Land pub Conway Street
Crews attend the fire at the Lore of the Land pub. Photo: Alexander Jan. Fire crews were called after a fire broke out at the Lore of the Land pub in Conway Street, Fitzrovia at lunchtime on Wednesday 23 June. Traffic was busy in the area and the fire appliances had to gain access through […]
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Westminster Council plans part-pedestrianisation of Oxford Street
Plan of Oxford Circus with motor and cycle traffic diverted around it. Image: Westminster City Council. Westminster Council has unveiled plans to part-pedestrianise Oxford Street to create two piazzas either side of Oxford Circus, diverting all motor and cycle traffic north into the side streets of Fitzrovia and Marylebone, before the end of the year. […]
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Covid cases are rising rapidly in Fitzrovia
The blue and dark blue areas indicate higher case rates. Source: coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map The cases of Covid-19 in Fitzrovia are rising rapidly according to the latest information from the official UK government website for data and insights on coronavirus. In the seven days up to 13 June rates in Fitzrovia are both above the national average […]
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Licensing application: Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place
Electric Space, 11 Rathbone Place. Electric Current Works Limited has applied to Westminster Council for a minor variation of its premises licence at Electric Space, Basement to Third Floor 11 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia. The existing licence is for: Exhibition of a Film, Late Night Refreshment, Sale by Retail of Alcohol; and the opening hours are […]
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Adrian Ensor – a photographic journey in black and white
Adrain Ensor outside his darkroom in Grafton Way. Photo: Tori. Adrian Ensor is one of Britain’s finest black and white photographic printers and has been working in his basement darkroom just off Fitzroy Square for over 50 years. Over these five decades Adrian has developed a deep and intuitive understanding of the mysterious alchemy that […]
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Exhibition explores the cultural impact of ‘V for Vendetta’
V for Vendetta: written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. The Cartoon Museum in Wells Street has re-opened with an exhibition examining the cultural impact of the most ground-breaking series of comics ever to be published — V for Vendetta. Behind the Mask charts the rise from seminal graphic novel, to hit film […]
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Radio: how the Horton family made the 100 Club
The 100 Club has existed under different names and owners as a live music venue since 1942. Sharleen Spiteri hosts another episode of Absolute Radio’s Tales From the Cloakroom where she talks to Jeff Horton about how the 100 Club on Oxford Street moved on from a purely jazz music venue in 1942, to the […]
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Partial solar eclipse over Fitzrovia
View through the clouds of the partial solar eclipse this morning over Fitzrovia, London. Photo: A M Hanson.
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Black blood donors urged to help treat sickle cell disease
Colin Anderson of NHS Blood and Transplant wants more Black people to donate blood. People of Black and mixed Black heritage are urged to donate blood on World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, Saturday 19 June at the Blood Donor Centre in Margaret Street, Fitzrovia. Sickle cell is treated with blood transfusions and is the fastest […]