Fitzrovia is a thriving district neighbouring Soho and Bloomsbury. Once renowned as a hub for writers and artists, this home to a significant residential population has more recently developed into a centre for commerce. Media and architectural organisations have led the way for a burgeoning business community where both large and small organisations exist side by side.
Fitzrovia was a notable artistic and bohemian centre from mid 1920s until the late 1950s. Amongst those known to have lived locally and frequented the Fitzroy Tavern were Quentin Crisp, Dylan Thomas, George Orwell. Hence the name Fitzrovia.
Fitzrovia is a true mixed use area: businesses, retail and exhibition galleries together with residential. The area is home for many designers: graphics, movie-makers, advertising, architects and designers as well as engineers. In particular engineering companies are very well represented in this area. In fact many well known buildings and structures from all around the world were and are being designed in Fitzrovia.
The area is served by three stations on the London Underground - from south to north these are: Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street and Warren Street - and by numerous bus routes.
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road runs from St Giles' Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. It has for many years been a one-way street: all three lanes are northbound only, the equivalent southbound traffic using the parallel Gower Street. Together with Gower Street it is generally regarded as marking the western boundary of Bloomsbury.
The south end of the road is close to the British Museum and to Centre Point.
Tottenham Court Road is a significant shopping street, best known for home wares and electronics. Habitat and Heals are probably the best known retailers on Tottenham Road and act as relative anchor tenants. The street boasts many high-street favorites such as marks & Spencer, Tesco and Boots and coffee shops and eateries which service the office community in addition to shoppers
Opposite Habitat and Heals is an open public space called Whitefield Gardens. On the side of a house is a painting, the "Fitzrovia Mural" over 60 feet high, showing many people at work and at leisure. It was painted in 1980 in a style resembling that of Diego Rivera.
Charlotte Street
Running parallel to Tottenham Court to the West Charlotte Street offers probably the greatest number of quality restaurants in one single street in London. Central to Fitzrovia, the street is home to the Fitzroy Tavern which gave the area its name.
The Charlotte Street Hotel is one on London’s most fashionable boutique hotels and anchors the street together with the significant number of quality restaurants.
