Covent Garden street theatre celebrates 50 years amidst clampdown fears

From the fire-eaters to high-wire walkers and knife-jugglers, the street performers of Covent Garden will celebrate 50 years of entertainment this May.

The Covent Garden Street Performers Association (CGSPA) has organised a day-long public celebration in the Piazza on May 11.

The event will include  a brass band parade, a mass singalong led by the West End Musical Choir, and performances from both emerging artists and iconic names.

Long-standing performers will be celebrated, including Mighty Gareth who wowed crowds with sword-swallowing acts in the 1990s returning to perform alongside his son Yann Elvis, now a chainsaw juggler, as well as John Hegley, who began his career busking in Covent Garden in the 1980s.

CGSPA performer and spokesman Peter Kolofsky said: “Street performance is the heartbeat of Covent Garden.

“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate this anniversary with the public – and to honour everyone who’s kept the spirit of live performance alive for 50 years.”

In 1974, Covent Garden was on the brink of transformation. Major redevelopment plans threatened to close its bustling fruit and veg market, demolish buildings and turn the area into a private estate of offices and new roads. 

But residents, traders, and activists fought back with a successful grassroots campaign which halted plans and reclaimed the area as a public space.

From 1975, performers began arriving – jugglers, magicians, acrobats – turning the newly preserved piazza into a spontaneous stage.

Over the following decades, performers developed their own system to manage the space with rotating pitches, drawing lots, and resolving disputes collectively. 

To this day, there is no formal authority managing the pitch, no permits and no programming team. 

Shows continue to begin on time with acts vetted by peers. 

CGSPA spokesperson Melvyn Altwarg said: “Covent Garden works because we built it. No one had to come in with a policy document – we figured it out on the cobblestones.”

Despite the success, the future of street performance in the square remains uncertain. 

In 2021, Westminster council introduced a borough-wide licensing scheme for street performers, including Covent Garden. 

While many performers across Westminster applied for licenses under the new scheme, the CGSPA refused to participate.

This means the future of the square is still officially “under review’, by the local authority.

The CGSPA is now calling for a written commitment from Westminster council that would officially exempt Covent Garden from restrictive licensing. 

Ms Altwarg said: “Covent Garden’s success is even more significant in the context of a growing trend: the quiet erosion of public space. 

“Across the UK, once-public squares, plazas, and streets are increasingly owned or controlled by private companies. These “pseudo-public” spaces may appear open, but they come with restrictions on gatherings, on protest, on photography, and on performance.

“Rules are set by landlords, not communities. Creativity and spontaneity are replaced by curated events and branded experiences.

“In this climate, Covent Garden’s West Piazza stands as a powerful exception.”

Cllr Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection said the council has always tried to balance the needs of businesses, residents and street performers.

She said: “As part of last year’s consultation, we carried out extensive engagement with residents, businesses and the street performing community and we have been awaiting the outcome of the recent Global Radio case before developing our recommendations. We hope we can work with the Covent Garden Street Performers Association to develop licensing guidance for Westminster in the future.”

Pictured top: From left, Yann Elvis, Purple Punch, Spikey Will Man of Danger, Melvyn Altwarg, Heavy Metal Pete. Sammie J, Covent Nick, Steph Ventriloquist and Hunter Juggler (Picture: David Bennett)