Seven Dials Covent Garden is a unique quarter of London whose star-shaped layout remains as constructed in the early 1690s. By 1974 the Seven Dials area was in a state of dereliction. It was brought back to life largely through the dedication of the Seven Dials Trust, working in partnership with the local authorities and landowners for nearly forty years.

We were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Trust Patron Frank Dobson. Frank was a great supporter of the Trust and our work over many years. His wit and many words of advice will be missed by us all.

Trust chairman David Bieda says: “We were close friends for almost 50 years, and I shall miss his friendship, wit and wide-ranging knowledge.” 

We’re delighted to have received sponsorship for two People’s Plaques through Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s locally-based companies, The Really Useful group and LW Theatres Group Ltd.

You may have noticed the work currently going on in Neal Street to replace the large number of differing street lights with the Trust’s Covent Garden Lantern™ and bracket – extending the scheme of façade lights in Seven Dials – the first phase of which was completed in 2014 – to the surrounding areas. 

Just before Christmas 2018 we installed the first of the Seven Dials History Plaques – in Earlham Street, Short’s Gardens, Mercer Street and on The Dials.

The Trust's latest People's Plaque was unveiled on 26th July. Aptly, in this year of celebrating women's suffrage, it commemorates two pioneering women - Zepherina Veitch and Dame Rosalind Paget DBE, ARRC. The plaque is sited at what is now The Hospital Club, in Endell Street, which was the British Lying-In Hospital (London's first dedicated maternity hospital), built in 1849 and operational until 1913. This is where both Veitch and Paget, already nurses, trained as midwives.

We're delighted that Westminster City Council has chosen to sponsor one of the Trust's People's Plaques, through funding from  the St James' Ward Fund. The plaque chosen celebrates Aldridge's Horse Bazaar, whose extensive premises occupied the site on Upper St Martin's Lane which is now occupied by Orion House and Meridian House.

The long-awaited works to Earlham Street West, between Shaftesbury Avenue and The Dials, were completed just before Christmas. The scheme, which was funded by Shaftesbury plc, is aimed at improving what is seen as a main pedestrian gateway into Seven Dials and beyond to Covent Garden, destined to become even busier once the new Cross Rail station at Tottenham Court Road opens in December 2018.

The Trust is delighted to have been shortlisted for the 2017 Camden Design Awards for its lighting scheme. Over 100 projects were submitted for consideration and we're very proud to be on a shortlist which includes prestigious projects such as The Bartlett School of Architecture; Google's new HQ at King's Cross; and Lauderdale House.

The Trust is delighted to have supplied the Mercers' Company with external lighting for their new Mercers Walk development which opens up a previously hidden courtyard to form a walkway between Mercer Street and Langley Street.  The brackets have been designed by Ian Ritchie, architect for this major scheme.

The Trust has obtained a registered trademark for its bespoke Windsor-style street lanterns which are now called The Covent Garden Lantern®.  Both the façade and post-mounted lanterns and associated brackets were designed by trustee Paul Draper and this long-life product incorporates a number of innovative features.

The Seven Dials Trust unveiled their People's Plaque commemorating the Roxy Club on 25th April 2017.  Marking forty years since the opening of the infamous showcase of Punk, the legendary London venue was also celebrated with a public exhibition of iconic photographs and posters.