Burlington Arcadeis a covered shoppingarcadeinLondon,England, United Kingdom. It is 196 yards (179 m) long, parallel to and east ofBond StreetfromPiccadillytoBurlington Gardens.It is a precursors to the mid-19th-century European shopping gallery and the world's first modernshopping mall.[1]It is near the similarPiccadilly Arcade.
 | |
 North entrance to the Burlington Arcade, withbeadlein attendance | |
 | |
| Location | London, England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°30′32″N0°08′25″W/ 51.5090°N 0.1403°W |
| Opening date | 20 March 1819 |
| Developer | George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington |
| Owner | David and Simon Reuben |
| No. of stores and services | 40 |
| Website | www |
The arcade was built in 1818 to the order ofGeorge Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington,younger brother ofWilliam Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire,who had inherited the adjacentBurlington Houseon what had been the side garden of the house and was reputed to prevent passers-by throwing oyster shells and other rubbish over the wall of his home. ArchitectSamuel Waredesigned it.[2]Burlington Arcade was built "for the sale of jewellery and fancy articles of fashionable demand, for the gratification of the public."[2]However, it was also said to have been built so the Lord's wife could shop safely amongst other genteel ladies and gentlemen away from London's busy, dirty, and crime-ridden open streets.[3]
Burlington Arcade opened on 20 March 1819. From the outset, it positioned itself as an elegant and exclusive upmarket shopping venue, with shops offeringluxury goods.It was one of London's earliest covered shopping arcades and one of several such arcades constructed in Western Europe in the early 19th century. (Other examples of grand shopping arcades includeCovered passages of Paris,Palais Royalin Paris (opened in 1784); Passage de Feydeau in Paris (opened in 1791),Galeries Royales Saint-Hubertin Brussels andThe PassageinSt. Petersburg,theGalleria Umberto IinNaples,and theGalleria Vittorio Emanuele IIinMilan(1878).)
The original arcade consisted of a single straight top-lit walkway lined with 72 small two-storey units. Some units have been combined, reducing the number of shops to around 40. The Piccadilly façade, with sculptures carved byBenjamin Clemens,a professor of sculpture at theRoyal College of Art,was added in 1911.
The arcade is patrolled bybeadlesin traditional uniforms, includingtop hatsandfrock coats.The original beadles were all former Lord George Cavendish's regiment members, the10th Royal Hussars.The arcade maintains Regency decorum by banning singing, humming, hurrying, and "behaving boisterously."[2]
The present tenants include a range of clothing, footwear, and accessory shops, art and antique dealers, and the jewellers and dealers in antique silver for which the Arcade is best known.
Historical events
edit
The arcade was almost destroyed by fire in 1836, when several shops were destroyed, in 1871, and in 1936, when the arcade was subject to looting.[3]
Parts of the arcade were badly damaged in a bombing raid during theSecond World War.[4]
In 1964, aJaguar Mark Xcharged down the arcade, scattering pedestrians, and six masked men leapt out, smashed the windows of the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Association shop, and stole jewellery valued at £35,000. They were never caught. Gates were installed to prevent this from happening again.[3]
In 2010,Thor EquitiesandMeyer Bergmanacquired the property for £104 million.[5]The owners hired architect Michael Blair to restore the arcade.[6]
In May 2018, the property was sold toDavid and Simon Reubenfor £300 million.[7][8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Meet the Beadles: The centuries-old private police force at Burlington Arcade, the world's swishest shopping mall".Country Life.Retrieved13 August2023.
- ^abcCawthorne, Nigel (5 November 2015).The Strange Laws of Old England.Little, Brown.
- ^abcOverett, Eleana (10 July 2017)."Secrets of Burlington Arcade".Gothamist.
- ^Barrett, Claer (16 September 2011)."Burlington Arcade: a potted history".Financial Times.
- ^Lucking, Liz (10 July 2017)."Historic London shopping arcade seeks $500M buyer".The Real Deal.
- ^"Burlington Arcade to be restored".Fashion United.26 October 2011.
- ^Brown, Harriet (18 May 2018)."Burlington Arcade sold in £300m deal".Drapers.
- ^Lopez, Oscar (7 May 2018)."London's iconic Burlington Arcade sold to billionaire Reuben brothers for £300m".City A.M.
