The scheme will feature over 500 additional new seats across more than 25 restaurants, as restaurants reopen for outdoor dining from April 12 onwards.
The new al fresco seating will span 7 streets as well as the historic Piazza, with the majority of covers providing weatherproof drinking and dining options for visitors, with heaters, large parasols and windbreak screens. Additional streets being pedestrianised to allow for extended al fresco dining include Henrietta Street, Floral Street, Maiden Lane and Southampton Street which join the already pedestrianised Piazza, King Street and James Street.
Capco, the owner of Covent Garden, has designed and implemented this scheme to support Covent Garden’s hospitality tenants, following the success of the estate’s outdoor dining scheme during Summer 2020. This initiative will sit alongside a new outdoor picnic and garden dining area on the estate’s East Piazza which will open from 29th March for takeaway dining from Covent Garden’s cafes and restaurants.
Michelle McGrath, Executive Director, Capco said: “Our new al fresco experience transforms Covent Garden into London’s leading outdoor dining destination, offering an unrivalled choice of cafes and restaurants on beautiful pedestrianised streets. The strength in bookings observed ahead of reopening on 12 April reflects the underlying demand for experience-led dining and shopping and we look forward to welcoming visitors and workers back to London’s West End.”
