City and Suburban
ByJOHN BETJEMAN IDOUBT if there are many people who knew Livonia Street, Soho, London. It was the last untouched Georgian Street in that district, and was a cul-de-sac on the west side of Berwick Street. The houses on either side were about 1720, with rather later upper storeys. Livonia Street was like an old almshouse. I shouldn't think it had ever been grand, but it was one of the last bits of old London left, and I had hoped that it was so unimportant that it might have been for- gotten by the rockery-minded Westminster City Council. Alas! I went there this week to find one side of the street destroyed and I suppose the other is about to go. The only streets near which were comparable with it are those west of Westminster Abbey, places like Barton Street. which give the impression of having division bells in their dining-rooms so that guests may reach the House in time. But they do not compare in atmo- sphere with Livonia Street.
Previous page
