{"id":19487,"date":"2020-06-06T14:04:59","date_gmt":"2020-06-06T13:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/?p=19487"},"modified":"2020-06-06T14:15:59","modified_gmt":"2020-06-06T13:15:59","slug":"deserted-london-the-empty-streets-of-soho-leicester-square-piccadilly-circus-chinatown-and-trafalgar-square-june-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.urban75.org\/blog\/deserted-london-the-empty-streets-of-soho-leicester-square-piccadilly-circus-chinatown-and-trafalgar-square-june-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Deserted London: the empty streets of Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and Trafalgar Square, June 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

The ongoing coronavirus lockdown has reduced the once bustling centre of London into a ghost town, with almost all its shops, businesses, cafes and bars remaining closed for over two months.<\/p>\n

I walked up from Brixton and took a stroll around town, and was genuinely shocked by the silence around normally thriving areas like Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.<\/p>\n

Here’s 45 photos from my walk:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Westminster Bridge.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Hungerford Bridge.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Trafalgar Square, which is normally rammed full of tourists.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Just a handful of people outside the National Gallery.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

On a normal day there would be crowd of tourists and buskers along this stretch.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

The biggest shock was Piccadilly Circus which was almost entirely deserted.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

A lone busker plays to no one.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Charing Cross Road.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Boarded up pub.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

A delivery worker wheels in packages towards Leicester Square.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

The lockdown isn’t all bad though – at least tacky crap like the Platinum Lace strip club has had to shut up shop.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Closed casino. Oh dear, how sad, nevermind.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

The Odeon in Leicester Square displays a tribute to the NHS.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

A dreadful pun – but it amused me!<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Chinatown.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

A lone gift shop remained optimistically open.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of London’s theatreland. All theatres closed down on March 17th<\/a>, and look unlikely to reopen any time soon.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Into an empty Soho.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

The legendary French House has had to launch a crowdfunding campaign<\/a> to stay alive during the lockdown.<\/p>\n

Happily, at the time of writing, they were just \u00a33.4k short of their \u00a380,000 target.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Signs of life coming back as the Admiral Duncan<\/a> pub erects a rainbow flag outside the pub.<\/p>\n

Back in 2005, Westminster City Council embarked on a catastrophically stupid campaign<\/a> which ordered the removal of all pride flags, insisting that they constituted illegal advertising. Local pressure soon reversed the council’s decision.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Shaftesbury Avenue.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Shaftesbury Circus.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Shaftesbury Avenue, looking east. By this time I was desperate for a coffee, and the lights of Pret A Manger looked enticing.<\/p>\n

Sadly, I learnt that they all closed at 2.30pm with the only alternative seen on my travels was Starbucks – and their coffee is undrinkable.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Just a handful of buses, taxis and bikes on Oxford Street.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

New Oxford Street.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

One of my favourite stores in London,<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

New Oxford Street.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

Kingsway, heading to the Strand.<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

\"Deserted<\/p>\n

See more lockdown photos<\/h2>\n

In photos: The eerie emptiness of Waterloo station in rush hour lockdown<\/a>
\nLockdown in Brixton – photo features<\/a><\/p>\n

Join the discussion<\/h2>\n

Central London photos – parks, buildings, street scenes and London life<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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