From Monday, you’ll be able to explore Covent Garden again.
With shops around the country permitted to reopen from June 15, we’re about to see the grand return of one of London’s most iconic sites. Having been something of a ghost town for the previous few months, Covent Garden has unveiled plans to reopen on the fifteenth, as many of the area’s shops will throw open their doors for the first time since lockdown began. However, as is to be expected in the “new normal”, things are going to be a little different at Covent Garden for now…
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing is the new black, and Covent Garden is rolling with the changes. For instance, the famous Market Building has seen the introduction of a new one-way system designed to keep shoppers from congregating in enclosed spaces, and signage will appear throughout reminding visitors to maintain social distancing. Meanwhile, the entire site will have a uniform approach to queuing and feature hand sanitiser stations at regular intervals.
Not all of the changes are a sobering reminder of COVID-19, however; a brand new public seating area is being installed in Covent Garden’s piazza that will allow weary shoppers to sit in the sunshine after a hard day’s bargain-hunting. The seating area will also be used for al fresco restaurants, which are aiming to open later this summer.
Monday will see the reopening of shops such as Dior, Tiffany & Co, and Chanel, all of which are now reconfigured for social distancing. They’ll also make use of innovative ways to serve customers; for instance, Tiffany & Co will use tailored one-to-one appointments and virtual styling sessions, whilst Charlotte Tilbury will run a click-and-collect service. Covent Garden’s swathe of restaurants won’t be amongst the June 15 openings (although if a new government plot goes ahead, they might be allowed to return from the following week), but the likes of SUSHISAMBA, Din Tai Fung, and Oystermen are open for takeaway and collection now. After all, when summer comes, the garden is the place to be…