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Chinatown, London - A brief history
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Address: Gerrard St and surrounding area W1, London
Nearest Tube Stations
Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square |
London's Chinatown has existed since the 18th Century and has moved from the original area of London's East End docks to the heart of Soho. For lovers of chinese food, this must surely be a paradise. Some of the first Chinese people to arrive and settle in Britain were exclusively male and arrived in the 18th Century. These people tended to settle in the dock areas of London - Limehouse. This was the first original Chinatown site and even today there are a few of the older Chinese population living in and around Limehouse, even though there isn't much left of the original site once it moved to Soho. The number of Chinese living in Britain during the early 1900's was very small - an estimated 540 Chinese people - mostly males. It wasn't till 1914 that the London dock area became known as Chinatown - this is when the Chinese businesses were sprouting up all over the place.
The years that followed were a testing time for the small Chinese community - the Limehouse area of London was destroyed in the blitz and there were changes in the Seaman's Union, this made it near impossible for foreign seamen to get jobs at British ports. The Chinese population in Britain had risen to nearly 2000 by the 50's and many were looking for somewhere to live and new employment.
The economy was suffering a slight decline during this time but things soon took a turn for the better. There was a huge increase in the popularity of Chinese cuisine - this was because of British soldiers returning from the war in the Far East. They had eaten nothing but this kind of food for months and had developed a taste for it when they returned to England. There were only a couple of Chinese restaurants in the West End of London at this time but others soon opened once they realised how popular their cuisine had become.
Thousands more immigrants arrived in Britain in the late 50's from Hong Kong because they were
trying to look for a new way of life and job opportunities after the world rice market changed its rules and regulations. Many people lost their jobs because of this and decided to look for a new life in Britain - they had heard of how popular the Chinese restaurants had become and knew there may be a good chance of employment - they were right. Many found work and accommodation almost immediately and new restaurants were still springing up not just in Chinatown, but all over Britain.
Nowadays there is a population of around 62,000 Chinese people living in London, many of their roots stem back to Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Malaysia. The entrance to Chinatown is dominated by a very ornamental pagoda - the site where the pagoda is constructed was specially chosen, in line with old Chinese custom to ensure that all the businesses that trade there would enjoy and benefit from prosperity.
Getting There
Chinatown in Soho, London is easily accessible by most forms of London transport and is a short walk away from Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. We recommend taht you don't attempt to drive a car to Chinatown - the car parks are nearly always jam packed and if you are lucky enough to get a car parking space the cost will be high. This is because Chinatown is in Central London and qualifies for the higher charges.
The tube is probably the best way of getting there - Leicester Square is less than a minute's walk away and is where the Piccaddilly and Northern lines run. Charing Cross, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus are just a short walk away.
The closest main line railway station is Charing Cross.
Ticket office is open:
Mon to Sat 04.30 - 00.48
Sun 06.45 - 00.48
Enquiry telephone No:
08457 48 49 50
London Buses are another option. These run at regular intervals and they will drop you off at stops that are within a short walking distance from Chinatown. Bus numbers to look out for include No's: 3, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 89, 91, 159 and 242. These are just a few of the buses that drop off at stops close to Chinatown.
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History of Chinatown restaurant trade and restaurant guide Information >>
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