The Covent Garden Community

Putting the garden in Covent Garden

Covent Garden is more than a destination - from it's origins as a monastic garden to its evolution into one of London's most iconic cultural quarters, sustainability and community acts as a defining thread in the area's modern identity.

Sustainable Values

Covent Garden is committed to being a sustainable destination for visitors and our local community. Various environmental sustainability initiatives aim to improve the environment including reducing our carbon footprint, improving air quality, and enhancing biodiversity.

Our aim is to make Covent Garden a zero-carbon destination by 2040. That means reducing our carbon emissions and the emissions generated by our building occupants by 90% and offsetting the rest from 2040. To get there, we’re investing in energy-efficiency upgrades and low-carbon systems for heating, cooling and cooking. By retrofitting existing heritage buildings rather than demolition and redevelopment, our sustainable approach increases energy efficiency whilst avoiding carbon emissions and the use of materials associated with new construction. Further information can be found here.

A place for nature

We’ve undertaken greening across Covent Garden including the installation of planters containing over 10,000 plants that attract bees and butterflies with pollinator-friendly species.

Located close to Covent Garden, the Covent Garden Playground & Nature Garden is a project to green and transform Drury Lane Gardens into an accessible, inclusive wildlife space. The space has been replanted with over 600 new plants, representing 150 climate-resilient species. Covent Garden has provided financial support towards the installation of interpretation signs highlighting what plants are in each bed, and how they are helping biodiversity recovery. The space includes a free playground with equipment for young children and a basketball court and is open to visitors all year round.

Supporting the local community

We support a range of community-led initiatives across Covent Garden, working collaboratively with partners and contributing to a range of charitable and community initiatives. Our primary focus area is to support local employment, the area identified where we can have the greatest impact.

In addition to focusing on local employment, we invest in projects and initiatives to support those who live, work and visit Covent Garden. This includes the Covent Garden Community Centre which provides events, classes, activities and a place to meet for local residents aged over 55.

We are proud long-term supporters of the weekly lunch club at the Covent Garden Community Centre. Our support provides local residents with a subsidised two-course lunch, helping to connect attendees with their neighbours and combat social isolation.