This neighbourhood area stretches along the famous Fleet Street, from the western edge of the City of London, where the Old Bank of England was (stopping just before the Royal Courts of Justice), to the Daily Express Building, near Ludgate Circus. Alleyways and courts branch out of the main street, leading on to the Temples to the south, as well as the Chancery Lane area to the north. The street itself has a crowded, bustling feel, with a large variety of architectural styles, from timber buildings to Victorian neoclassical styles, to 20th century newspaper offices. Facing east, the street provides views of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The vast majority of the buildings in the area are consultancies and investment banks, with Goldman Sachs’ main London ofce (formerly home to the Sunday Express) being discreetly located in the middle of the neighbourhood area.

One of the oldest streets in London, Fleet Street’s name is synonymous with the printed press. The street originally connected the City of London and Westminster, crossing the River Fleet (for which it is named after) via a small island at what is today Ludgate Circus, and leading on to Westminster via the Strand. The printing industry flourished in the area since Wynkyn de Worde started his press there in 1500, producing nearly 800 books, and would later be overtaken by the newspapers, which would reach massive circulations by the early 19th century, to the point that even regional papers opened London offices here. Most major papers would relocate their offices and printing works in the 1980s, with Reuters persisting until 2003, and the final survivor, the Dundee-based Sunday Post, closing in 2016.

The infamous Sweeney Todd has been depicted from penny dreadfuls to stage performances, to modern musicals and films – most famously Tim Burton’s The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (of which there is an inspired store on the street today, run by Roger’s). Growing up in horrible conditions, he was orphaned at the age of 12 and would become an apprentice to a cutler (specialist in razors), and later went to the notorious Newgate Prison for petty theft. Coming out, he was a bitter man and would go on to open a barber shop on Fleet Street, next to St. Dunstan’s Church.

The legend goes that he would tip unlucky customers using a lever, which dropped them via a trapdoor to the cellar floor (the other side of the trapdoor was a similar chair), and he would descend into the basement and cut their throat. Originally he left the bodies in an underground passage but later would sell the meat to a piemaker (Mrs. Lovett). Whether the person actually existed is debatable, and the legend is as cemented as Victorian Jack the Ripper (the story originated in Georgian times).

This area consists of a large number of former banking hall-turned-pubs. The Wetherspoon pub, The Knights Templar, is one example, but the grandest is most likely The Old Bank of England, today a Fuller’s pub. The vaults beneath the pub once held bullion, and for a short period of time, the Crown Jewels even. The ceilings are ornate, and wall paintings detailed, making for a very interesting drink.

Along Fleet Street, you can find a plaque with the headline ‘King Elvis Dead’, by the Sun, as well as one including Space Invaders at St. Dunstan’s Court. There is also a post box commemorating novelist and civil servant Anthony Trollope, the grandfather of the post box, who introduced the pillar box in the Channel Islands (which were then sage green as opposed to bright red). Amongst many things, they allowed young women to send letters freely without having to go to the Post Office.

Fleet Street is a highly congested stretch of road – however, it has also been the conduit between east and west London for centuries, and the diversity of shops, restaurants and transportation options reflect this. In addition, most houses are set back from the main street, which offers solitude in the quiet courtyards or squares. The area is also, unlike other parts of the City, fairly active throughout the week.

The Fleet Street Conservation Area covers this neighbourhood and mandates the maintenance of protected views, improving the sewerage near Ludgate Circus, and ensuring air quality is not exacerbated by new developments. Residents in the area will be pleased that Fleet Street is becoming a little less congested, with the eastern end of the road currently being pedestrianised around the King’s College London campus. This will not only provide some needed green space for those willing to venture beyond the Royal Courts of Justice, but will also help reduce traffic through the area. At the other end of this postcode plans have recently been approved for two major new developments. Centred around Salisbury Square, the first will house facilities for both the City of London Police and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. Just across the road at 120 Fleet Street, planning has been approved for a new 21-storey office development. The scheme by architect Bjarke Ingels Group includes the restoration of the neighbouring Daily Express building as well as public roof gardens and terraces.