Living in Soho

Living in Soho means living in London's most concentrated entertainment district, and almost nothing about it is designed for residents. Its narrow streets hold hundreds of restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and theatres, along with the film and post-production companies that have been based here for decades. Old Compton Street remains the centre of London's LGBTQ+ scene, and Chinatown borders it to the south.

People do live here, though, and more than visitors realise. Flats above shops and restaurants, a handful of mansion blocks and a significant stock of housing association homes keep a resident community that has fought for decades to protect Soho's character. Berwick Street's long-running street market and small squares like Soho Square and Golden Square give the neighbourhood some everyday texture.

The noise is constant and varied. Bars close late, crowds spill onto streets on most nights, deliveries and bin collections start early in the morning, and a flat that is quiet on a Tuesday at 4pm can be very different on a Saturday at 1am. Double glazing, a rear-facing bedroom and a high floor matter far more here than anywhere else on this site.

In return, everything is within walking distance. Tottenham Court Road has the Elizabeth, Central and Northern lines, and Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square are all minutes away; many residents rarely use transport at all. Green space is almost absent beyond the small squares, and Hyde Park or St James's Park are the nearest large ones. Soho suits people who work in the West End or in hospitality and the creative industries, who want the city at their door and are willing to pay heavily for a small flat and live with the noise that comes with it.