Who knows Covent Garden area really well and can give me some advice?

[itchyandscratchy]

I'm taking a theatre trip to the Wyndham's next week with about an hour and a half to kill between the two main activities. I'm taking 52 Year 10 students (aged 14/15) and I thought we could walk along to Covent Garden and let them have a brief wander and have their lunch there before going back to the theatre for the matinee.

Firstly - how long will it take to walk from the Wyndham's to Cov Garden? Doesn't look very far at all but would be good to have a more accurate time.

Are there any teenager-friendly places I can recommend to them to eat at (sandwich places, cafes) or better still take-away so they can wander around Cov Garden and see some of the sights? Would like to recommend nice places - not just MacD and the like.

Also, is it just the street entertainers that I should be directing them to or are there any other nice places for them to hang out/buy souvenirs for the short time that we'll have?

I've been on my own a few times but not recently and certainly not with gazillions of students!

Thanks

bloody hell 52 students?? you teachers are amazing.

anyway, Wyndhams - 5 mins walk if you're walking ... 40 mins dawdle if you want to gawp at shops and loiter.

do you just turn them loose or do you need to shepherd them around a bit? there are a few places round there they may like, such as Neal's Yard and the area around 7 Dials, which is all north of Long Acre - shops are perhaps a bit "cooler" or less mainstream whereas the plaza with the street acts, opera house area etc has more mainstream shops.

will have a think about food. will they mill round in massive groups or tend to be in 5s and 6s say?

52!! Street entertainers are good though.

We took about 20 to the theatre last year and nowhere could fit us in to eat (the plan had been to go for pizza or something). In the end, we just bought pizza slices and pasties at the Cornish Pastie stand and then they mooched around and danced to the mini-orchestra etc. It was great!

so back again thinking about food - obviously budgetary issues for students but there is Caffe Nero, Pret, Starbucks all on Long Acre (at the Drury Lane end, so after you've gone past Cov Gdn tube on your right). There is a big M&S food hall too on Long Acre, opposite the tube.

There is a sushi place, Itsu, on the corner of Drury Lane and Long Acre / Gt Queen St where a bigger group might fit in (but as Janeite says you won't get big groups in anywhere impromptu).

Also on Drury Lane (turn left at end of Long Acre) there are popular sandwich shops, usual Italian-run places which do nice salad boxes, panini etc. V limited space to sit in (eg 8 people max so lucky if 3 will find a table at lunch time). Abokado on Drury Lane does more healthy stuff and juices, wraps etc.

Within Covent Garden piazza area, head south to the roads running down to the Strand for mroe options, Paul for patisserie for example and sandwich shops. I think it's all restaurants or overpriced around the cobbled area.

Neal's Yard Salad Bar has vegan and veggie stuff. Ages (years) since I went but think it was reasonably priced and quite a bit of room too.

Finally, Kastner & Ovens on Floral St (quite tucked away, little door up acouple of steps) has gorgeous, fresh, hot food or salads and lovely cakes. Brilliant for take away. Not cheap cheap in terms of lunch though not ludicrous (perhaps the teachers' option?!)

See this link for a cute map of the local area with some links to shops etc.

hth

that map is great topof.

they'd probably like to go to neal street; urban outfitters, mac and many shoe shops.

there are dozens of prets, a smattering of eats. another possibility is Tossed in st martin's lane, inexplicably popular with my colleagues and i suspect teenagers would love it too. it is a sort of salad bar.

now tell me exactly when you're going itchy and scratchy so i can make sure to stay at work during the invasion...

This is all brilliant - thank you so much!

Yes I imagine they will go round in little gangettes of between 2/3 and 5/6 with 5 of us teachers milling about looking gormless and embarrassing the kids by joining in with any singing/dancing going on.

Buying food they can wander about with is ideal. I think I will make them a little guide each using the info you've very kindly given here.

I'm so excited about going! It's going to be great

just realised, it wasn't Neals' Yard salad bar, it was the world food cafe I was thinking of -here

Unless you really want to see the live entertainment stuff, I would definitely push them towards Neal's Yard / 7 dials / Endell St area ... Neal's Yard itself has lots of cafes so they could hang out in a big pack but split into little groups to do their own thing for eating.

Just thinking about if it rains and you're trying to eat ... lots of shelter around the Cov Gdn piazza, though much of it open sided.

Have a great time! Is it An Inspector Calls you're going to see? Amazing production.

Yes Insp Calls. VERY exciting!
I'm not telling you when we're coming fishie, it will be a lovely surprise for you
(although the play finishes its run veru soon so it's pretty imminent)

Belgos would be an obvious choice - they have huge benches and tables so could easily accomodate and do a good express lunch menu for a fiver - the food might allow them to try something different to the usual teenage stuff and they will be out of there fast

The official website might help too.