History

In 1682 bricklayer, Richard Tyler, laid out Carnaby Street itself, which took it’s name from Karnaby House, the first house built on the street.

1665 was the year of The Great Plague. ‘Pesthouses’ were built for plague victims, the first one in London being on Carnaby Street.

In the 1720s the area was redeveloped to include a market for meat, fish and vegetables in Lowndes Market, later known as Carnaby Market.

The Shakespearean public House, which still stands today on the corner of Carnaby Street and Foubert’s Place was built in 1735.

Regent Street was completed in 1823, segregating Carnaby Street and Soho from Mayfair. The street was built by architect John Nash and was the worlds’ first purpose built shopping street.

Soho was the epicentre of the outbreak of cholera in 1854, epidemiologist John Snow, identified a contaminated water pump on Broadwick Street was the cause and closed it off. He is commemorated by The John Snow pub built on the site of the water pump.

Pictured: Plaque by William Blake, c.1805

Out of hours drinking club Tatty Bogle opened at 11 Kingly Court in 1917.

Pictured: Marshall Street Swimming Baths in 1910. 

Vince, credited as the first menswear boutique in the Carnaby Street area, opened at 5 Newburgh Street in 1954.

1952 – John Stephen, previously a shop assistant at Vince, opened ‘His Clothes’ on Beak Street, and later at 5 Carnaby Street. Although his merchandise targeted teenagers, it attracted high profile pop stars including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks. John Stephens went on to open a further 5 shops on Carnaby Street.

For years Carnaby was the place to be if you were a creative in search of inspiration. Carnaby earned its credentials during the 1960s with vibrant clashes of colour, new cultures, exciting new music and a rebellious identity, there was nowhere else like it in London. Music stars including Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and style icons Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor were all Carnaby Street regulars.

Cranks vegetarian restaurant opened in Carnaby in 1961

Lord John, which went on to become an international chain of menswear shops, first opened at 43 Carnaby Street in 1964 by Warren Gold.

Time magazine first described London as the ‘swinging city’ on 15 April 1966.

To promote the opening of new boutique ‘Tom Cat’, owner Irvine Sellar asked Tom Jones to walk down Carnaby Street with ‘Casino Royale’ actress Christine Spooner and a cheetah. – 1966.

The Kinks ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion, talking about the ‘Carnabetian Army’ was released in 1966.

Henry Moss & Harry Fox opened womenswear boutique Lady Jane at 29 Carnaby Street with girls changing in the shop windows, which resulted in Mr Fox being arrested for obstructing the highway due to the crowds it drew. 

1967 – Jimi Hendrix wore a military jacket bought at ‘I was Lord Kitchener’s Valet’

Paul McCartney meets Linda on 15 May at Bag O’ Nails Club, 9 Kingly Street.

1973 - Carnaby Street was pedestrianised and the iconic ‘Carnaby Street welcomes the World’ sign was installed.

Punk emerged taking Carnaby by storm with The Sex Pistols pictured on the street in 1976, now one of music’s most iconic photographs of the time. Photographed by Ray Stevenson. 

The Jam released ‘Carnaby Street’ a B-side to ‘All Around The World’ in 1977.

A new wave of British designers moved into the area including Vivienne Westwood, John Richmond, Mary Quant and Pam Hogg. Carnaby was the place to showcase defiant style. Whether you were a Mod, Punk, Rocker or a Goth, Carnaby was your fashion home.

The legendary hip-hip record store Deal Real opened its doors in 2002 at 3 Marlborough Court. The venue to the likes of Amy Winehouse, Kanye West, Mark Ronson, John Legend, Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco. It became London’s epicenter for hip-hop and urban youth-culture, responsible for showcasing, supporting and nurturing a wealth of burgeoning talent, many of whom went on to attain mainstream success.

Deal Real was brought back to life in 2015 with the Deal Real Legacy pop-up shop at 14 Newburgh Street. Hosting nights with Kano, Tinchy Stryder and Kate Tempest, the store held free weekly in-store signings, performances and workshops.

Carnaby London collaborates with The Rolling Stones to celebrate their 50th Anniversary.

Carnaby celebrated the film 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with the launch of our Queen-inspired light installation. The light's were switched on in October by Roger Taylor, Brian May and stars from the film including Oscar winner, Rami Malek.  

In collaboration with ocean conservation charity, Project Zero, for our Christmas 2019 installation. Our iconic Carnaby arch shone brightly with shimmer disks and the globe encased in a clam at the centre of the art with our message, One Ocean One Planet, to highlight the urgent need to protect and restore the ocean to mitigate the damaging effects of climate change and create a sustainable future for life on Earth.

The Blue Turtle is a mark of commitment which lets people know that Carnaby eateries have met criteria that helps to safeguard our planet's life support system, the ocean. The mark has been adopted by restaurants, bars and café’s that are working towards being ocean-friendly and are committed to continuing to improve their practises. 

In 2020 the Choose Love store opened on Carnaby Street where every purchase makes a difference to the lives of refugees and displaced people around the world. When visiting the store, throughout Christmas  Carnaby street was light up in purple neon lights for the Carnaby Christmas light installation in partnership with Choose Love, featuring a series of pink neon light boxes filled with positive messages of love and unity.

Carnaby Echoes, a walking tour app, traces the vibrant music history from the opening of Jazz club Murray’s on Beak Street in 1913 through to the present day. Artist, Lucy Harrison has brought people who worked in the music-connected buildings where history was made, back to the places as they are now to talk about their memories. Contributors include Boy George, Mark Ellen, Lloyd Coxsone and Dynamo.

Download the free app via carnabyechoes.com.