The Regent Street Garden Party brought lawns, live music and places to sit into the middle of a London shopping street. In this 2016 film, I wander through the Summer Streets event, stop at Workshop Coffee and finish with a burger and fries at Five Guys. The walk also takes in the busy streets around Liberty.
From the Roberts London archive: the original video was published on 31 July 2016. This article records that summer visit, rather than a current event programme.
Coffee before the Regent Street Garden Party
The film begins with a walk through the shopping streets before a pause at Workshop Coffee. Inside, the camera looks across the counter, where cups are stacked above the display. It is a brief change of pace before returning to the outdoor event.
That rhythm runs through the whole visit. I move between busy pavements, shopfronts and temporary event spaces, taking time to look around rather than following a fixed list of stops. The coffee shop is one small part of an afternoon spent on foot.
A shopping street with room to sit
Back on Regent Street, people gather around an outdoor performance space. Some sit close to the stage while others stand at the edges. Speakers and a canopy mark out the small venue against the familiar stone buildings.
The original video description described three entertainment zones, including a bandstand on a lawn with Tommy Hilfiger deck chairs. The footage shows how that garden-party idea worked on the street: patches of green, places to pause and music within sight of the shops.
A detour past Liberty
The walk also passes Liberty, where the dark timber frontage provides a very different backdrop. People gather around the outdoor stalls and displays, with colourful structures and flowers adding to the summer scene.
This part of the film keeps the surrounding neighbourhood in view. Regent Street is the centre of the event, but the afternoon extends into nearby streets too. Moving between them gives the visit its loose, wandering shape.
Lawns, bunting and live music
Further along Regent Street, colourful bunting hangs above another green event space. Visitors stand on the temporary lawn, stop beside the displays and sit around the performance area. The road markings and tall shopfronts remain visible around this temporary garden.
The wider views are especially useful for remembering the occasion. A white canopy, musicians and people sitting on the grass occupy part of the street, while others continue walking past. The event creates places to linger within a route normally associated with shopping and traffic.
Between those gathering points, there is room to stroll in the roadway. The film alternates between views of the activities and my commentary as I walk, keeping the scale of the street and the people using it in the same frame.
A burger and fries at Five Guys
The next food stop is Five Guys. The camera follows the visit inside, taking in the counter and the drinks machine before turning to the meal. A close view shows the burger in its foil wrapper, with a cup of fries beside it.
Afterwards, the walk continues through the shopping streets. It is an ordinary ending to an afternoon that mixed the special event with familiar London habits: finding coffee, looking around and stopping for something to eat.
Watch the original Garden Party film
The full 27-minute film preserves the route and atmosphere of this visit. For another day in the same series, see the 2016 Summer Streets fashion show and Magnum visit. You can also explore Oxford Street and St Christopher’s Place in 2016.
