Advent Day 22 - Hello Piccadilly

So I said I wouldn’t do it. I planned not to do it. But I went and did it anyway. I took a trip to see the West End Lights in London. Or more accurately, the Regent Street and Piccadilly lights.

I was in London for another lovely reason - to catch up with friends for dinner. I was due in another part of the City in an hour’s time but I made use of the fact that my train gets into Marylebone Station and hopped onto the Bakerloo line Tube train, to get out at Piccadilly Circus.

I wouldn’t say that the magic of Christmas lives on Piccadilly Circus itself. It’s a busy intersection with the statue of Eros surrounded by some rather run-down-looking buildings and high-level advertising boards. But opening off it are some really gorgeous streets. Many of them were built in the 17^th and 18^th centuries and retain their original buildings.

Beautiful buildings

Piccadilly is one of my favourite streets in London. It’s the location of the Royal Academy, where I’ve been lucky to see many of the best paintings and exhibitions in the world. It’s also home to the Ritz – which remains on the bucket list. Visit The Wolseley restaurant almost next door and go celebrity spotting. You’ll see some famous names in there for sure.

Arguably the prettiest building on the whole street is Fortnum and Mason, or Fortnums, the historic royal grocers, who established the shop on the site in 1707. This year, they’ve used red Christmas lights to give the impression of being an advent calendar. Inside it still has its air of historic grandeur but you have to push through the busy throngs to see it. The tea and coffee department on the ground floor is always full of people so I usually escape to an upper floor to browse. This time, every floor was the same and I gave up and admired the decorations around me instead.

Browsing for books

The next stop was a visit to Hatchards bookshop. Founded by John Hatchard in 1797 it’s the oldest bookshop in England and it houses so many wonderful titles. I could have spent all day in there, but restrained myself to just the ground floor, where I found three new books on different eras of history.

What I love is that they have multiple author-signed copies by some very well known authors who will be invited there to book signings. It’s really a little world to lose yourself in. Most books I read are on my Kindle app on my iPad. I try not to buy new physical copies if I can help it. But it’s impossible not to make an exception in a bookshop like this. The staff know their stuff and are keen to advise you.

If you want an art deco bookshop experience with lots of space and a more modern feel, then head up the street to Waterstones, which offers a different browsing experience. There you can sit and read before deciding which books to add to your collection. I love bookshops!

After a brief stop to view the beautiful Christmas tree in the churchyard at St James’s, I moved on to the end of the street. Here, you can take your pick between N.Peal cashmere and the very traditional Cordings. It’s worth window shopping just for the decorations at this time of year.

Christmas lights

Crossing Piccadilly, I drank in the sparkle and festive spirit of the lights hanging above upper and lower Regent street. This year the theme is angels and the size of the decorations brings so much light and beauty. It all feels so extremely festive standing under the lights, watching the hurrying crowds and seeing the London buses and taxis streaming all around you.

Happy Advent!