Events
Events
Annual Community Carol Service
followed by CGCA’S 53rd Anniversary Christmas Reception
Monday 9th December 2024. 6.30pm at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden.
The most convivial event in the Covent Garden calendar!
Everyone is welcome, of any faith or none, as we celebrate Christmas and look forward to a New Year.
There will be carols, readings, music, opera, food and drink at this beautiful church in the heart of our neighbourhood.
As well as our rousing voices, we have talented performers from the local area.
Come in through the entrance gate on Bedford Street (postcode WC2E 9ED).
Please stay on afterwards to chat with friends old and new, to meet your neighbours and to
bring in the festive season.
Complimentary drinks are provided by CGCA, and a light buffet is kindly sponsored this year by the Covent Garden Area Trust.
Click for a clip of some past performances
You can print off a simple flier, or use it as a small poster for your window/building – click here.
Let us know if you need posters delivered by a volunteer.
Film screening: The Battle for Covent Garden in the 1970s & 80s
Saturday 19th October 2024. 11.30am at the Garden Cinema.
On Saturday 19th October 2024 we screen two exceptional films at the charming Garden Cinema in Parker Street.
The first film sets the scene by depicting “Life in Covent Garden Market in the 1970s” (45 min) when the wholesale fruit and vegetable market for the whole of London was still squeezed into a few streets in the shadow of the Royal Opera House.
The second film, “The Battle for Covent Garden” (34 min), covers the actions of local people to save the area from the bulldozers after the market was moved to Nine Elms. This left the heart of London almost lockdown-level quiet. Only the residents were left.
Covent Garden market in the days of Horse & Cart – already squeezed.
But the plans were to bring developers in to flatten 65 of our 100 acres, to tarmac over historic areas like Seven Dials with a 4-lane highway, and to build concrete complexes where people once lived.
The plans seem almost unbelievable now, but without the foresight and energy of local people they would have destroyed Covent Garden in the same way as Elephant & Castle.
It was a battle waged against great odds, but eventually most of our streets were saved, along with most of the buildings that had survived World War II.
The CGCA was established to fight this battle in 1971.
The screening will start at 11.30am, with an introduction from Jim Monahan, who was one of the leading figures who fought the Battle for Covent Garden.
Doors will open at 11am to give people a chance to mingle with residents and with others who have an interest in this fascinating history. The cinema has a café that serves coffee and soft drinks.
This is a ticketed event for members and their guests. Included in the ticket is a light snack provided by CGCA to keep us all going if we want to stay and chat afterwards.
Please reserve your free member ticket at this link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/coventgardencommunityassociation/1411735. Further tickets for your guests are only £5 to cover some of our costs.
The Garden Cinema is at:
39-41 Parker Street WC2B 5PQ, on the corner of Parker Street & Newton Street.
See: https://www.thegardencinema.co.uk/about-us/
