This neighbourhood runs along the length of Leadenhall Street. The street contains a range of neoclassical buildings interspersed with vast contemporary glass skyscrapers, but the most noticeable structure is at 122 Leadenhall Street. Known as the Leadenhall Building, it is commonly called “the Cheesegrater,” owing to its wedge shape. It faces Lloyd’s Building opposite, and is in view of the Gherkin. The building’s tapered glass façade reveals steel bracings alongside a ladder frame. The steel structure, which provides stability, is the tallest of its kind in the world. 140 Leadenhall Street, which has been refurbished by Hanover Securities, is the best example of neoclassical architecture in the area. Originally constructed for Midland Bank in the late 1920s, it stands right next to the Cheesegrater’s modern glass – a fascinating contrast between old and new. The building includes a venue called Revolution, which has a private dining area for hire named the Vault. The Vault previously served as the strongroom of the old Midland Bank, as well as a basement clubroom.

The commercial nature of this part of the City, always quick to adapt and modernise, is evidenced by the fact that a telephone exchange was installed at 101 Leadenhall Street by The Telephone Company Ltd in 1879 – making it one of the first in London. During the 18th and 19th centuries the street was home to the East India Company’s headquarters. Today, a different variety of multinationals are headquartered here – including Allianz Global Risks, Digital Guardian EMEA and Xchanging.

Reginald McKenna was the chairman of the Midland Bank from 1919 until his death in 1943. He was a British statesman who initiated the battleship construction programme in the run-up to the First World War, producing the Dreadnought-class battleships. He had previously served as financial secretary of the Treasury and president of the Board of Education, and would later be appointed as chancellor of the Exchequer. He was responsible for the implementation of a 40% personal income surtax and 50% excess-profits tax, which collectively became known as the McKenna duties.

The site of the Leadenhall Building has been used by various companies over the years. It was the head office of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (today P&O) for over a century, but the company would later move due to growth in its business. The site was later redeveloped, with a building completed in 1969 standing a mere 14 storeys tall. The more recent skyscraper on site, “the Cheesegrater,” is designed to lean backwards so as to not obstruct views of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

As the financial centre of London, the Leadenhall Street area is extremely built-up. There are very few green spaces in the immediate vicinity. Leadenhall Market is nearby, however, as are some of the capital’s major landmarks, such as the Gherkin and the Royal Exchange. As such, there is little room. Interest has continued in recent years, with Kohn Pederson Fox’s ‘Scalpel’ building completed a few years ago. More recently work concluded on the comically nicknamed ‘Can of Ham’ at 70 St Mary Axe, which offers 28,000 sqft of office space. While land within this postcode has become quite congested for future large-scale development, the surrounding area remains sort-after. The second phase of the Aldgate Place neighbourhood development is underway and set to complete in 2024. With 19,000 sqft of offices, 8,000 sqft of retail floorspace, and 159 new homes, this development will push the architecture of the city ever closer to the east end. Looking slightly more centrally, Unite Students has just completed a new private student accommodation building capable of housing upwards of 1,000 young scholars.