An area short of residential properties but rich in history and retail space, High Holborn is one of central London’s most unique high streets. Forming part of the A40, the road is incredibly busy with bus and car traffic travelling from Shaftesbury Avenue to Chancery Lane, and is lined by numerous offices, hotels, and pubs, including the esteemed Princess Louise and Cittie of Yorke, and the Cuban Embassy. The grade I-listed Tudor building, Staple Inn, is also located on the street, and is the last surviving Inn of Chancery. The transport hub of Holborn station sits right in the middle of the road, bringing countless tourists and office workers to the local sites such as the John Soane’s Museum, and a number of theatres. The nearby London School of Economics means that many of the pubs and cafes are populated by students, which keeps this otherwise business-oriented area lively. There are few permanent residents, given that many of the houses that were once here have been demolished to be replaced by offices, and those flats that remain sell for more than £2.5m!

The impressive Tudor building, Staple Inn, sits just opposite Chancery Lane station and was originally part of Gray’s Inn, one of the four Inns of Court. The Inn dates from 1585, and was once a wool staple, where wool was weighed and taxed. The building was used as accommodation and offices for solicitors following the English Civil War, as barristers were no longer allowed to be taught at the Inns. It miraculously survived the Great Fire of London in 1666, but the founding of the Society of Gentleman Practisers in 1739 began the Inns’ decline, turning them into little more than eccentric drinking clubs. Many of the Inns were dissolved and sold off, and in 1897 a popular book reported that nobody could even remember their purpose any more. The Inn was damaged by a Luftwaffe bomb in 1944, but was exhaustively restored with its distinctive timber-framed façade and cruck roof, which remains to this day.

The Princess Louise pub, at 208 High Holborn, is known for its impeccably preserved Victorian interior dating from 1891. It is now Grade II* listed and has been described as “a rich example of a Victorian public house interior” – even the toilets are listed! Bizarrely, the pub was also the haunt of the serial killer Dennis Nielsen.

The area’s location means that it is constantly busy with office workers, students, and tourists. Many who live and work nearby complain that Holborn station is often packed, with commuters sometimes having to wait for multiple trains to pass before they can squeeze themselves on.

With Elizabeth Line stations opening at Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon, the area has seen a great deal of investment and change in the past few years, and is set to see plenty more over the coming decade. Through the Holborn Vision and Urban Strategy, Camden council is currently working to ensure that local residents, businesses, and visitors all benefit from these changes, and seeks to retain the area’s historic character and identity as they happen. There will be numerous new retail and public spaces throughout the area, as well as an array of new homes ranging in affordability.