By chance, I found myself in the same neighbourhood tonight as last night because I went to see Eileen Cooper’s exhibition at Rook & Raven in Rathbone Place. It was closed. So, I took the opportunity of checking out how Denmark Street was faring under the strain of redevelopment. I thought remarkably well:-
The only obvious change is that it now has a branch of Fernandez & Wells, designed by Carmody Groarke:-
Since the coffee machine had shut, I treated myself to a bottle of The Kernel’s Pale Ale (the best) and looked out of the window to survey the church of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, a print of which was given me as a leaving present from the V&A (they couldn’t afford St. Martin’s):-
On the other side of the street, Renzo Piano’s amazing, colourful project in Central St. Giles was looking good:-
Two terrific blogs (Flitcroft and Denmark Street) – vintage Saumarez Smith. When is it coming out in book form ?
Dear Mark, Arrangements are in place for September, but there will be more information, I hope, in due course. Charles
As a professional musician the problem is that Denmark Street is now literally all front: the back half of the units on the north side have been shorn away, leaving the shops unable to properly display stock or allow trying out the instruments – several used to have soundproofed backrooms, but they’ve been lost. The decline in the offer is very evident.