When is a street more than a street? On one level, Sicilian Avenue might seem simply like a diagonal connecting London’s Bloomsbury to the north to Holborn in the east, but the street is a slice of London’s history and culture that is set to once again make a mark on the capital. Sicilian Avenue, captured in historical photos here, was a pioneering 1910 experiment that was reborn this year after an extensive refurbishment - and now, as then, champions premium experiences, big ideas, and a serene space away from the bustle.
A Brief History of RJ Worley and Sicilian Avenue
Visionary architect RJ Worley designed the London Pavilion and the mansion block Albert Court next to the Royal Albert Hall, which are both now Grade II listed (like Sicilian Avenue itself). By the standards of 1910, it was a flamboyant and far-sighted design - among the first purpose-built pedestrian streets in the capital. Worley unveiled the street’s unique pillared entryway bearing the name Sicilian Avenue, with the idea of conjuring up a vision of Italy, and even of classical antiquity.
The street was pedestrianised from its very first day (decades before other London thoroughfares such as Carnaby Street) and dressed in Italian marble and white terracotta, evoking in its grand classical vision something that looked very much not like Sicily, and much more like an Edwardian British person’s idea of it.
Nestled in the heart of London’s intellectual capital Bloomsbury (home to the Bloomsbury Group of writers including Virginia Woolf), the street became home to beloved booksellers. But this is just the first part of its story.
What Can We Expect From Sicilian Avenue Today?
The start of 2026 has seen the first three outlets open on a reborn Sicilian Avenue, with 70,000 square feet of offices above 17,500 feet of retail, and forming the vanguard of a wider pedestrian-friendly transformation of the heart of the capital. The street’s offices offer the perfect antidote to the anonymous blocks full of hot-deskers: the beautifully restored facades and premium coffee shops and tea outlets starting to throng its streets; it conjures a vision not of Sicily, but of London’s big thinkers and big ideas.
The transformed Sicilian Avenue has been rebuilt to meet modern sustainability standards (earning BREEAM Excellent certification and an EPC B rating for sustainability, an astonishing feat for a street 116 years old!). The reborn Sicilian Avenue operates using heat pumps and solar panels, while preserving the street’s unique century-old quirks. The street will also promote sustainable transport with secure storage for bicycles.
The refurbished Sicilian Avenue offers 70,000 square feet of offices above 17,500 feet of retail, food, and beverage and lifestyle space. For more information about commercial lettings, please visit: https://sicilianavenue.com/commercial-opportunities