Bloomsbury Festival 2022

Central District Alliance were proud to support this year's Bloomsbury Festival!

This year the festival had been inspired by the theme of Breathe - and included over 100 events over 10 days, celebrating the creativity of the local area. 

Events included local area tours, workshops, performances, panels and many more!

Read on for a snapshot of some of the wonderful events that took place over the week, or to see the full programme - click here.

BLOSSOMING IN BLOOMSBURY - CAMDEN TOUR GUIDES ASSOCIATION

Meandering through Bloomsbury’s historic streets and beautiful garden squares, the walk with Rebecca Walker of Camden Tour Guides Association explored aspects of this year’s festival theme of Breathe. We looked at how the area’s residents and green spaces contributed positively not just to the well-being of Londoners, but also to the environment and humanity’s relationship with it, also heard more hidden histories of those who fought for the freedom to worship, think and live their lives as they wished.

THE LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS OF BLOOMSBURY'S OPEN SPACES - SEEKOUT LONDON AND CAMDEN TOUR GUIDES ASSOCIATION

This walk started off at Holy Cross church and through many of Bloomsbury’s squares. The work of Humphrey Repton will be seen and also the life and garden designs of Fanny Wilkinson will be explored. With Mike Marriot of Camden Tour Guides Association and SeekOut London.

THE DESIGN OF ALFRED PLACE GARDENS - TIM SOUTH, LDA DESIGN

Alfred Place in central London was an unremarkable back street, car dominated and with narrow pavements.

Now it has been transformed into a tranquil green oasis. Renamed Alfred Place Gardens, it is the first park in the area for over 25 years and part of Camden Council’s £35m West End Project, which radically overhauls traffic and public realm. As part of this LDA Design are transforming streets and spaces for people and nature.

The park creates lounging lawns, spaces for play, biodiverse planting, with better air quality. Elegant, curved timber seating along a meandering path is designed to encourage sociability, providing an antidote to city life.

The project team wanted to set the highest design benchmark. The Gardens provide a variety of experiences for users, and the planting creates cohesion. A series of outdoor rooms provide woodland and play glades, lounging lawns and a flexible events space. The street’s mature London Plane trees have all been retained and are joined by a line of Amelanchier and Birch, which provide dappled shade.

Tim South, Associate and landscape design lead for the Alfred Place project will describe the journey through the development of the original concept, the technical challenges of design development, construction, and the joy of delivery.

THE STORY OF HOLBORN AND ITS MUSIC HALLS IN 10 SONGS - THE GOOD COMPANIONS

Between 1860 and 1940 Holborn was at the heart of the London’s music scene. The Holborn Empire was amongst the most popular theatres in the city and its stars were household names. The Good Companions provided a musical romp through Holborn’s colourful and dramatic history, with rousing, singalong performances of the era’s classic songs.