David’s involvement in Covent Garden began as a youth and community worker in 1971. He organised and led a two-week Objection at the 1971 Covent Garden Public Inquiry which helped prevent the area’s demolition and turn the tide of post WW2 planning from wholesale demolition of city centres. He was elected bi-annually onto the Covent Garden Forum of Representatives (1974-84) which drew up and saw through the new Covent Garden Plan. He co-authored Less Planning More Happening, the basis of the new Plan. He was a founder trustee of the Covent Garden Area Trust and, together with the late Grace Cook, negotiated its establishment with Government and the London Residuary Body following the abolition of the Greater London Council. He was a member of the Seven Dials Housing Action Area Committee (1977-84) which initiated the area’s regeneration and brought back into use the 90% of the residential stock which had lain empty for 40 years. The HAAC also encouraged private and affordable housing and helped re-build the area’s employment base on the removal of the Covent Garden Market. David has chaired the Seven Dials Trust since its inception in 1984. David also serves on the committees of the Soho Society, the Museum of Soho and the Meard & Dean Street Residents’ Association. David has a long-standing interest in conservation from his restoration of 1 Shorts Gardens (1694) in Seven Dials (empty for 40 years), and 68 Dean Street (1732, empty for 10 years). He was the pro bono adviser for the restoration of the 1791 shopfront at 88 Dean Street, joint winner of the Georgian Group national award in 2011, and advised on the restoration of 13 Meard Street. As a member of the UK Lancia Motor Club, he chaired Flavia in the Piazza in 2003 and Lancia in the Piazza – the Centenary in 2007 (winner of the award for the best car event of the year).