Did you know?

1. Lord George Cavendish, who lived in Burlington House (now the Royal Academy) commissioned his architect, Samuel Ware, to design a covered promenade of shops – unofficially to stop ruffians from throwing quantities of rubbish, in particular oyster shells, onto his property and officially “for the gratification of the public and to give employment to industrious females”.
2. The result – the very first shopping Arcade, nearly 200 yards in length – was opened on the 20th March 1819 to great acclaim and is designated as a historic and architectural masterpiece.
3. Reputed to have cost £49,000 to build, the early annual rents were £52 for a double site and £12.2.3d for a single – inclusive of rates.
4. Originally, there were 47 leaseholders, six of whom were ‘industrious females’ but, in accordance with the rules of the day, even the male milliners and corsetières were addressed as ‘Madame’. Many of the tenants and their families lived under very cramped conditions above and below their shops, sharing the space with their stock.
5. One of the early leaseholders was patronised by the Prince Regent to supply gold lace for his uniforms.

Shop Owner Profile

Mark Lord – Head Beadle

Head Beadle MARK LORD explains why no two days in the Arcade are the same. Read more →