Burlington Arcade

Burlington Arcade is a covered shopping arcade in the City of Westminster. It runs for 179 metres parallel to Bond Street, from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens. Built in 1818 by George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, it sits on land that had been the side garden of Burlington House. The arcade was designed by architect Samuel Ware to sell jewellery and luxury goods. It also provided a safe shopping space for fashionable ladies away from London’s busy streets. The arcade opened in 1819 as one of London’s earliest covered shopping venues. It quickly became an exclusive destination for high-end shops offering luxury goods. The original design featured a single straight walkway lined with 72 small two-storey units, though some have since been combined. A grand Piccadilly entrance with sculptures by Benjamin Clemens was added in 1911. The arcade is patrolled by beadles in traditional uniforms, descendants of Lord George Cavendish’s regiment. Visitors today find a range of shops including jewellers, art dealers, and antique silver specialists. The arcade maintains strict decorum, banning whistling, singing, and boisterous behaviour. Only a few have been exempted from the whistling ban, including Sir Paul McCartney and a young boy named Jayden. The shops sit along a top-lit walkway, preserving the Regency-era elegance of the space.