This bustling West End cultural hub extends from Covent Garden down to the Thames, crossing the Strand as it goes. Along the winding medieval streets are near-countless bars, restaurants, and cafes, all dispersed amongst numerous theatres, including the Novello, the Lyceum, the Vaudeville, the Adelphi. The recently refurbished Royal Opera House also sits impressively to the area’s north. Aside from the celebrated West End productions, tourists are also drawn to the London Film Museum and the London Transport Museum, which sit on either side of Covent Garden. To the south, Waterloo Bridge takes commuters and visitors alike down towards the South Bank and the transport hub of Waterloo station. Close by, Temple and Covent Garden tube stations provide easy access to the area, and are often more convenient than the bus routes that get held up on the congested local roads.

The Royal Opera House is one of the area’s oldest performance venues. Founded in 1732 on the site of the ancient convent garden by John Rich, the venue’s first production was William Congreve’s The Way of the World. It was primarily a playhouse for its first hundred years. In 1734, the house presented its first ballet, Pygmalion, with George Frideric Handel as its musical director. He bequeathed his original organ to John Rich in 1759, but a devastating fire in 1808 destroyed the building and the majority of its contents. The theatre was rebuilt and opened a year later, hosting performances that included such names as Joseph Grimaldi and Sarah Siddons. Spotlights were first used pioneeringly at the venue in 1837. Another fire in 1856 forced a second rebuilding. The theatre reopened in 1858, and its name was changed to the Royal Opera House in 1892. The building survived the Blitz, but by the 80s it was in dire need of refurbishment, and in 1995, enough money had been raised for a £213 million reconstruction.

The London Film Museum was moved to the area in 2012, after its founding in County Hall in 2008. The museum has exhibits of original film props, costumes, and sets including a meteor from the original Superman film from 1978. Since 2014, it has been home to the celebrated Bond In Motion exhibition, which displays over 100 original vehicles and other artefacts from all 24 James Bond movies.

The area’s position as a tourist hub means that the streets are busy, and the roads congested at all times of the day, making bus and taxi travel frustrating for locals and visitors alike. The local Underground stations are convenient, but also have a tendency to get extremely busy, particularly at peak times.

Across the River Thames, Waterloo station underwent a huge redevelopment as part of the £1bn Wessex Capacity Programme, some components of which are still in development and expecting completion soon. The initiative included track renewals, signalling enhancements, tunnel, footbridge and earth works, and improved electrification and telecommunication. The upgrades enhanced passenger capacity by 30%, and should prove beneficial in addressing congestion at nearby stations and on local roads.