Burlington Arcade Keeps Its Glamour

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27472, 5 October 1954, Page 10

Burlington Arcade Keeps Its Glamour

(From the London Correspondent of ••The Press”)

No. 51 Piccadilly is more than an address in one of the most famous thoroughfares in London. It is also the address of the Burlington Arcade which still retains its place after 136 years as the most fashionable shopping promenade in the world. Today, as in tile days of Beau Brummel and ••Prinny,” it the haunt of the Mayfair dandy in search of elegant clothes and gifts. In its shops are displayed the flnest clothing, jewellery, antiques that Britain can offer. Although the fine Begency-style shop-fronts have changed little since the days of King George 111, a modern note has crept in with the use of price labels. The few displayed are quoted in dollars. w?? e l . B ’'i I ' lin J gton Ar cade was built in 1819 by Lord George Cavendish who lived next door in Burlington House, now the home of the Royal Academy. to Pf. e Y en t Mayfair hooligans throwing rubbish over the wall of his town mansion. Under its elegant V-shaped n^ f ar< Si 41 shops stretching along the 200 yard promenade. In September, 1940, the arcade was hit by a bomb and some of the shops near the Burlington Gardens end of the arcade were damaged. To celebrate the completion of the restoration of the arcade to its former glory, the exclusive shopkeepers of the thoroughfare held a party last week. Being the Burlington Arcade, there was only one possible drink—champagne—and some fashionably dressed guests were there clutching their thin stemmed glasses to hear the Duke of DevonS < desc endant of the builder, wish the new arcade many more years of prosperity. The Duke recalled that apart from building the arcade his illustrious forbear had done little of note. “He seems to have ,been rather a dim man but 1 am sure he would have enjoyed this party, said the Duke. “His only other claim to fame rests on a short mention S Hardys ‘The Dynasts’ which says Enter Lord George Cavendish—rather drunk.’ ♦I. a V- tb°se who love London love the Burlington Arcade,” added the

“There is nothing better than spending 15 minutes or so windowshopping along the promenade.” “Window shopping” is probably the correct term for most people who use the arcade. In. the shops where Disraeli bought his lemon-coloured gloves d adstone his high-necked collars, there are few signs of price labels, btrollers can admire the beautifully embroidered silk waistcoats, shirts and glcwes, the fine pewters and antiques ana gleaming jewellery without any distracting price labels. Only a few small signs translated into dollar equivalents remind window gazers that the hallmark “of the Burlington Arcade” is still a mark of the best English quality and must accordingly be paid for. Three beadles in the short black doeskin frock coats and lemon waistcoats that were in the fashion, in Beau Brummel’s time still keep an eye on shoppers and window shoppfers, however, to see that the rules of the private street are not broken. The beadles, all former N.C.O.’s recruited from Lord George Cavendish’s own the 10th Hussars, make sure tact no-one “whistles, sings or plays a musical instrument” in the arcade. Shoppers aqe also supposed to be forbidden to open umbrellas, carry parcels or hurry to the point of running, any offenders being politely corrected by the watchful beadles. Some of the rules of the more elegant Regency days are already disappearing. It is not unknown for women shoppers to carry parcels through the arcade (“We try to dissuade them politely” is how one beadle puts it) and recently perambulators have been allowed to enter the covered walk. These were originally banned on the grounds that they would attract soldiers to follow nursemaids and gossip in the arcade thus obstructing shoppers. Prams are now a rare sight in Piccadilly, however, so'the Burlington Arcade has moved with the times in relaxing one of its treasured rules. But for the wealthy buyer or the envious “window shopper” the Burlington Arcade still holds its unique charm. As Lord George Cavendish wished it is “open for the gratification of the publick.”