Portfolio: Soho
Soho
W1D, Westminster & Camden. The boundary edges: Oxford Street, Regent Street, Leicester Square and Charing Cross. The area includes the West End, China Town, Old Compton Street, Wardour Street, Berwick Street, Soho Square, Great Marlborough Street and Carnaby Street.
Soho is the entertainment district of the centre of London. Well known for its nightlife with trendy bars, cafes and clubs it also has a rich past (over 200 years) as London’s base for the sex industry. Soho is home to leading film and media businesses, along with a thriving and well established residential community including London’s main Gay Village.
The area has been subject to various attempts of gentrification with the council cleaning up the seedy part of Soho’s sex trade, reducing late licences and making it more appealing to families.
However the multicultural and diverse heart of Soho is not so easily brushed aside. It’s origins as 1600’s hunting grounds later snubbed by the rich for Mayfair became the home of artists, writers, bohemians and immigrants (Greek, Italian and French inhabitants) in the 1700’s.
The area had a large crime rate, some of the worse slums, toxic businesses and was hit by several disease outbreaks.
The Berwick Street Market established in 1800’s has been saved from closure by local residents, London’s oldest coffee shop The Algerian Coffee Stores & one of London’s oldest Whiskey shops The Vintage House Whisky Shop both on Old Compton Street are still going strong. The area still has the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Raymond Revuebar (now The Box Soho), some of london’s oldest pubs and bars and is seeing the revival of Madame Jojo’s.
I love this area for its rebellion against societal norms, it has a real feel of local London which is much less touristy than the surrounding areas and the streets are packed with interesting characters. Anything goes in Soho.
Like what you see? Contact Lucy to Purchase Or Discuss other projects
These are just a taste of the images that I have taken of the area. If you are interested in purchasing prints or would like to discuss a commission please get in touch. I’m open to new projects so please fire away! Contact Lucy at tolucy@gmail.com or via the contacts page here: http://lucywood.co.uk/contact/