This is Central St Giles piazza - a brand spanking new shiny, modern development of offices, flats and restaurants. But from the 17th century to well into the 19th century, this was the site of the most notorious 'rookery' in London - an overcrowded area of slums housing huge numbers of not just yer average indigent Londoners but all imaginable types of criminal and underworld types.
I knew this anyway - St Giles was rivalled I think only by the 'rookery' near Westminster Abbey near where I work - but I did a rather entertaining short walk around Covent Garden and St Giles today which went into quite a lot of detail about the nefarious goings-on in these once upon a time less than salubrious parts of town. All there was today were hordes and hordes of people wearing silly green hats. What's that all about then?
Met Dave afterwards at the National Portrati Gallery for a bite to eat in the top floor restaurant - brill views over London from our window table. Food was exceptional too - very tasty - sweet pickled herring, seared salmon and broccoli and an intensely chocolatey chocolate parfait with honeycomby things and what not.
Then round the corner to Leicester Square to see The Artist - a lovely treat of a film.
