Neighbourhood news, features, and comment
Homewares icon Habitat is to close its Tottenham Court Road store early next year after more than 50 years of trading on the street. Habitat's flagship store on the corner of Tottenham Court Road and Torrington Place will close in early 2021. Located on the corner with Torrington Place it is at the heart of …
There was somewhat muted excitement for shoppers this morning as German supermarket chain Lidl opened its first central London store on Tottenham Court Road, during a pandemic. Normally I'd be thrilled about the opening of a new food store close to home but shopping has lost much of its pleasure and become one of the …
Continue reading "Muted excitement as Lidl opens its new store on Tottenham Court Road"
While most hot food businesses have shut up shop due to the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown others are adapting and delivering a new service. One such business is Passyunk Avenue on Cleveland Street -- a Philadelphia-themed food, cheese steak, and dive bar named after a thoroughfare running diagonally through the dense network of downtown …
Fitzrovia's two independent cycle shops are beating the large chain stores by continuing to provide a service for customers during difficult circumstances. Under new legislation cycle shops along with food shops are allowed to continue to trade as long as they follow strict social distancing guidelines to protect their customers and staff from the coronavirus. …
By Stephen Heath For those struggling for a glimmer of cheer in these grim times, I do recommend a brisk walk (or two) up to Shaheen Peerbhai's Miel Bakery on Warren Street. Unlike its now boarded up neighbour, our other favourite foodie haunt, the iconic Honey & Spice, it is still open and offering a limited …
Continue reading "Mouth-wateringly good, baked comfort food to take away on Warren Street"
German supermarket chain Lidl has announced it will open its first central London store on Tottenham Court Road next summer. Lidl will takeover and refurbish the Sainsbury’s store near Warren Street tube station, reports the Guardian and other media. It will be a full-sized Lidl store with a 1,300m2 shop floor, selling its full range …
Continue reading "Lidl to open its first central London store on Tottenham Court Road"
Fitzrovia will have only one Post Office to serve more than 8,000 residents and tens of thousands of workers and visitors after the branch in the W H Smith store at the Plaza Centre on Oxford Street closes on Wednesday. The only remaining Post Office serving the neighbourhood will be the Crown Post Office on the …
Continue reading "Post Office at The Plaza Oxford Street to close"
Customers of the Waitrose in Tottenham Court Road will miss the friendly and helpful staff as well as the quality products if plans to close the shop go ahead this spring. Shoppers were greeted this week with a notice in the window of the branch of the "little" store at 227-233 Tottenham Court Road which announced its planned …
Goodge Street's newest shop sells cakes that are "made with love and taste delicious", says Stephanie Buchanan who's been with Konditor & Cook just seven weeks and is now managing the new store. The Goodge Street bakery which opened to serve customers at 11 am this morning adds to the small number of premises the company has in …
They've been in Cleveland Street for nearly 30 years and now they've moved to their third premises. Western Printers were forced out of their old shop by development plans but when we visited them this week they were all smiles and happy to be in their new shop, even though it is smaller. Husband and …
Continue reading "Printers leave Westminster for Camden in shop swap"
A new shop in Warren Street looks at first sight like yet another fashionable cafe with its window display showing off an array of quiches, cakes and a shiny new coffee machine. But the new venture promises to be very different from its neighbouring businesses in many different ways. Coffee, Cake & Kisses was started by Amanda and …
Continue reading "Crowdfunded shop trades beyond social convention"
Just opened in a pedestrian walkway off Goodge Street is a bakery and cafe offering gluten-free and dairy-free products. "Today is just a soft opening," I'm told by manager Kasia Kendzia who's from Poland. "We'll be officially open in January when we'll have a full range of products." This week they are inviting people to come in …
In the latest printed edition of Fitzrovia News (FN135) we reported that LK Computers Ltd in Charlotte Street had closed. This was incorrect and we apologise for the error. We stated in the column "Opening and closing shops" on page 9 that LK Computers at 64 Charlotte Street was one of the closed shops. However, we should …
Continue reading "My computer repair shop has not closed, says owner"
A new food, drink and homewares shop has opened on the corner of Grafton Way and Whitfield Street. Its owner boasts that they sell fine food and only products "made in London". Named Ben's House after owner Ben Leask it is very much a personal project. Leask says that after working for others in neighbouring Marylebone …
Pollock's toy shop will be open late for Christmas shopping for one night only in December, and customers can enjoy some free mince pies, mulled wine, gingerbread men, and view a traditional puppet show. The Toy Shop is located within Pollock's Toy Museum on the corner of Scala Street and Whitfield Street. "The late night opening will be an …
Continue reading "Festive food and a puppet show at Pollock’s toy shop"
Pioneering Soho art suppliers Cowling & Wilcox looks set to close around Easter 2014 after trading in Broadwick Street since 1961. Landlords Great Portland Estates (GPE) have applied for planning permission from Westminster Council to demolish and redevelop St Lawrence House at 26-34 Broadwick Street. GPE who own £2.5bn of real estate – most of …
Continue reading "Art shop at the heart of the swinging 60s will be priced out of Soho"
By Pete Whyatt For musicians over many years Chas E Foote’s music store was a land mark in Golden Square. Charles Ernest Foote started the shop in Hornsey Road in 1920. In the 1930s it relocated to Soho and was bought by the Della-Porta family — the founders of Premier Percussion — where it sold …
Continue reading "Set the controls to the heart of Store Street"
It looks like a run-down part of the street to the passer-by. But don't be fooled, it is nothing of the sort. Three shops along Charlotte Street are empty because the landlord emptied them and wants to redevelop the site. But the owners of the premises were so impatient that they couldn't wait to get …
Continue reading "Charlotte Street buildings empty and boarded up for no good reason"
By Peter Whyatt J P Guiver & Co in Mortimer Street claim to be the oldest violin dealer in England and is one of four specialist music shops still surviving in Fitzrovia. Guiver's specialise in violins, violas, cellos and bows. They have a world renowned selection of conductor’s batons, and sell strings, cases and accessories. …
Continue reading "A quartet of musical instrument shops are still popular destinations"
By Guy O'Connell Opening a shop is one of the biggest dreams in small business. To open in Fitzrovia, with its mix of office workers and locals, takes a special sort of knowledge, and bravery too. So here's the story behind one new door -- Central Bikes -- on Tottenham Street. It's opened to sell …
