Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Covent Garden is not such a good place to visit anymore?

32 replies

PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog · 12/08/2023 15:00

Had a child-free visit to London yesterday with a friend yesterday. We are from Manchester, DH's parents live outer London, but I don't visit the centre very often. I have autism and am not good with crowds.

Anyway, one place I have enjoyed in the past was CG. Quirky shops, markets and interesting cafes and performers etc. so I said to friend can we go there early ish and we will ride the Uber boats and go to the Tate and then Battersea park. So, the second part was all great, lovely weather and all that. Covent Garden, however, was such a disappointment! SadAll the shops are the big corporates, the entertainers were very timetable and demanding set amounts to watch them, the 'market' all 5 ft of it, was full of bought-in stuff.

AIBU? Any suggestions for places in London that are like CG used to be would be gratefully received.

OP posts:
Barleysugar86 · 12/08/2023 15:05

Portobello market on a Friday/ Saturday might be your best bet, or Camden markets are always fun.

Harrythehappypig · 12/08/2023 15:06

Loved Portobello Road when in London a few weeks ago. I used to live in London but couldn’t remember ever actually going there then.

Camden is interesting though very very busy.

Harrythehappypig · 12/08/2023 15:06

Snap 😄

Barleysugar86 · 12/08/2023 15:06

Sorry just saw the comment about the crowds- Portobello gets pretty crowded. Camden less so.

memyselfiesandI · 12/08/2023 15:08

I was there a few weeks ago, hasn't it always been like that tho?

GidgetGirl · 12/08/2023 15:09

I went to CG for the first time in ages recently and was amazed how tacky it’s become.
like you say OP, really corporate. Horrible cheesy promotional pitches and so cluttered. You could barely see any of the building due to all the weird barriers which around the seating areas which I presume are a hangover from the Covid period.
Cheap and nasty, what a shame.

rookiemere · 12/08/2023 15:21

Yes it is a real shame. I loved it as a teen in the late 80s, it seemed really quirky and fun, but now it's very corporate. I do like the classical music buskers at the cafe at the bottom bit though.

I'd get the uber boat to Greenwich. There's the market and free museums and because there's lots of open space, it doesn't feel crowded.

Flapjacker48 · 12/08/2023 15:21

It was always an overrated tourist trap

rookiemere · 12/08/2023 15:26

Oh and I had forgotten the Moomin shop in Convent garden - amazing Smile.

Houseplantmad · 12/08/2023 15:42

Both CH and Camden are rubbish now, unfortunately. I really like the area from Highbury and Islington station down to Islington. Interesting shops, loads of independent restaurants and although not a market, great people watching.

KimberleyClark · 12/08/2023 15:43

The quirky shops would just not be able to afford the rents these days.

treacledan71 · 10/09/2023 04:14

I was disappointed too. Pride was on so was really busy but I just felt it wasn't as good as when I went previously. Really hyped it up to my teenager. Was hoping to get food in Chinese quarter but too rammed but I should have realised as pride was on how busy it would be. Wish we had gone to Candem or Portopellio markets as previous poster said or stayed and ate by London Bridge.

MumHereAgain2023 · 10/09/2023 04:27

Yes went recently and it was very average.

Hoistupthemainsail · 10/09/2023 10:04

CG was always a tourist trap - I lived in London for 20 yrs and would always avoid, even when visitors came to stay! Some would insist and so we would suffer it, but plenty more interesting places to go. Though they're all probably tourist traps now too! What a shame.

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/09/2023 10:07

Spitalfields and Brick Lane / Shoreditch on Sundays. Hellishly busy though so go early (11.30am) as it hits peak madness from 1pm onwards.

Talipesmum · 10/09/2023 10:10

It was always a tourist trap but now it’s a really corporate and boring tourist trap, where it used to be worth a potter around 25 years ago.

I’ve not been to portobello road in 35 years, I’ve heard it mentioned a few times, might potter over there next time I’m in London.

PonyPatter44 · 10/09/2023 10:10

HundredMilesAnHour · 10/09/2023 10:07

Spitalfields and Brick Lane / Shoreditch on Sundays. Hellishly busy though so go early (11.30am) as it hits peak madness from 1pm onwards.

Echo this - the market at Spitalfields is as good as CG used to be. There's a fair bit of overpriced tat, but some really lovely things in amongst the tat! Loads of excellent inexpensive options for food round there as well.

Oldraver · 10/09/2023 10:23

I went to CG recently for the first time and just felt there was just too much. Camden has become the same.

yellowsmileyface · 10/09/2023 10:36

Houseplantmad · 12/08/2023 15:42

Both CH and Camden are rubbish now, unfortunately. I really like the area from Highbury and Islington station down to Islington. Interesting shops, loads of independent restaurants and although not a market, great people watching.

Do you mean the road between Highbury & Islington and Angel? I agree actually. It's not a touristy place so doesn't get busy, but there's a lot of interesting little shops and nice restaurants.

Brick Lane is another favourite place of mine to hang out. There's a row of interesting independent shops along Bethnal Green road outside Shoreditch High Street station.

I'd recommend getting the tube to Angel, walking down to Highbury and Islington, then you can get the orange overground line to Shoreditch high street!

But yeah I agree, Covent Garden and Camden were my two favourite places to go as a teen, 15 to 20 years ago. CG is just boring now, and Camden is just rows of shops selling the same stuff and it's always so crowded.

HeliosPurple · 10/09/2023 10:41

The centre of Covent Garden and Long Acre are very busy and touristy. Did you go to the streets around Seven Dials? Lots of interesting shops. Covent Garden is central London - small independents are always going to struggle to afford the rents. Marylebone still has some lovely shops.

HangingByYourFingernails · 10/09/2023 10:46

Another vote for Spitalfields market. The goods are much more distinctive, and it's bigger. And there are cute Dickensian alleys to explore in the area.

Seven Dials is nice for shops.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 10/09/2023 10:48

I think CG has been very touristy for a long time.

Ive only lived in London 23 years (not really such a long time) and I think it was pretty touristy and expensive back in 2000. Might have been some unusual shops but not loads.

I used to study, and then work, pretty near there too. It was fine but not that different to other central London places

I like Borough Market as markets go, but that’s also pretty expensive.

The road between Angel and H&I is called Upper Street. It is nice but also v expensive.

RosaMoline · 10/09/2023 11:08

I love Columbia Road Flower Market. Lots of lovely, quirky shops there too.

Crazykefir · 10/09/2023 11:12

Does anyone remember flip in Covent garden from the early 90's. The flee market megastore and cranks.
I had a salad and a drink there recently,£30.

zingally · 10/09/2023 11:19

I'd say Camden market is more like Covent used to be back in the day. It gets busy as the day goes on. Spitalfields is okay as well.

If you want an area of London that is nice with plenty of cute cafes etc, the area around Marylebone is good for a weekend morning stroll.