King’s Road Chelsea in 2016 meant a rainy Saturday walk, an umbrella held over the camera and the promise of a full English breakfast. I start at Sloane Square and follow the street towards World’s End, stopping to look at the shops, remember places that have changed and eat at the Stockpot.
From the Roberts London archive: first published on 6 November 2016. This is a record of the walk and businesses as they appeared then.
Starting at Sloane Square and Peter Jones
I had filmed in Chelsea before, but this time I wanted King’s Road itself to be the main subject. Sloane Square makes a natural starting point. The station is behind me, the shops are opening up, and the rain is already making filming a little awkward.
Peter Jones is an early stop. I point the camera towards the department store before continuing along the road. Later in the film, I return to another entrance and notice how different the building looks from that side. Even a familiar shop can offer another view when you walk around it.
Duke of York Square and the changing street
Next comes Duke of York Square. In the video I reflect on how opening up this area changed the feel of the street. The shops and open space give people another reason to spend time here, beyond simply walking from one end of King’s Road to the other.
Much of the commentary is about change. I remember earlier shops and restaurants, look at the chains occupying their premises, and wonder what still makes the road distinctive. Those are impressions from this particular walk, with the camera recording the street around me.
The Chelsea Drugstore and Thomas Crapper
The former Chelsea Drugstore offers a brief escape from the weather. It was a McDonald’s during this visit. I go in thinking about coffee, but emerge without one after waiting out the rain.
Nearby, the former Thomas Crapper premises lead to a more personal story about my grandmother and our family grave. I also correct the familiar claim that Crapper invented the flushing toilet. He did not. This part of the film has its own article, Thomas Crapper in Chelsea, where I tell the family story in more detail.
There are several such diversions along the route. A shopfront brings back a memory; a restaurant building catches my eye. The walk is as much about noticing those details as it is about reaching breakfast.
Past Chelsea Old Town Hall
At Chelsea Old Town Hall, I point out the entrance and talk about wedding parties emerging onto a street full of shoppers. The building provides one of the clearest landmarks along this stretch.
I also pass The Ivy Chelsea Garden and talk about the smaller shops further along the road. In the film, I feel the mix becomes more interesting beyond the town hall. An art supplies and framing shop catches my attention as I approach the Stockpot.
A full English breakfast at the Stockpot
Breakfast is the main stop of the morning. Inside the Stockpot, the menu brings together British cafe favourites and Italian dishes. I order a full English and coffee, then settle into the simple dining room.
The plate comes with egg, bacon, sausage, beans, hash browns, tomatoes and toast. Two small details stick with me: the coffee arrives as a cappuccino, and the waiter offers freshly ground black pepper over breakfast. They give the meal a character of its own.
In the original review, I enjoy the filling food and quick, friendly service. You can read the fuller account in my Stockpot full English breakfast article. Here, it is the welcome pause halfway through a wet walk.
Bluebird and World’s End
Back outside, the umbrella returns. I pass Bluebird and continue towards Vivienne Westwood’s World’s End shop. Its large clock makes it easy to pick out among the surrounding buildings.
I stay outside, looking at the clock and the window rather than going into the shop. It gives this stretch of the walk a memorable ending before I turn back. The film captures both the famous shop and the everyday traffic passing in front of it.
Coffee, the journey home and a guitar recording
The film carries on after the first goodbye. There is another look at Peter Jones, a takeaway coffee and some personal reflections on street fundraising. I also pick up a copy of The Big Issue for the journey home.
Finally, the setting changes completely. Back at home, I show the guitar, laptop and microphone used for a little musical experiment for the video. A pencil and rubber bands stand in for a capo. It is a small glimpse of how these early Roberts London films came together.
Watch the full King’s Road Chelsea walk
The original 36-minute video follows the whole outing, including breakfast and the recording at home. For the neighbourhood later that month, see the Chelsea Christmas lights walk from 2016.
