Tucked away down a surreptitious Seven Dials side street, you’ll find a picture-perfect pocket of London that looks like it’s leapt straight from the pages of a storybook. Neal’s Yard is located slap-bang in the middle of Covent Garden. But due to its rather easy-to-miss location, many people wander straight past it without even noticing.
Neal’s Yard
Neal’s Yard owes its name to the 17th-century property developer, Thomas Neale, but owes – quite literally – everything else to environmentalist and entrepreneur, Nicholas Saunders. The yard dates back to 1690 when Neale received a piece of land from William III and created the area now known as Seven Dials. It wasn’t until the mid-seventies that Neal’s Yard was firmly put on London’s map when Saunders gave a new lease of life to the little courtyard – which at that point was used as a waste area and filled with bins.
Saunders set up shop in the courtyard with little more than a dream of transforming the spot into a health-focused hub of natural food and sustainable living. And – well – it turns out that dreams really do come true, folks. The eclectic enclosure is now exactly that; filled to the brim with sustainable shops, cosy cafes, and a whole host of independent eateries.
Nowadays, you can get your hands on everything from pizza and pedicures to beauty products and baked goods inside Neal’s Yard. And you can sit and enjoy them all whilst gawping up at the gorgeous multi-coloured buildings that surround the courtyard.
Despite being mere metres away from the hustly bustly likes of Leicester Square and Covent Garden, it truly feels a world away from tourist-town. And whilst I’m aware that the term ‘hidden gem’ is chucked about rather liberally these days, this small-but-mighty spot really does fit the bill.
đź“ŤYou’ll find Neal’s Yard located just off Monmouth Street and Short’s Gardens in Covent Garden.
🚇 The nearest station is Covent Garden.
