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West End's secret river
Valentine Low, Evening Standard08.07.08
Imagine the scene: a shimmering stream winding its way through the heart of London, its silvery waters glistening as they flow through the West End.
There would be tree-lined banks by Piccadilly, trout-fishing in Mayfair - and perhaps the odd kingfisher darting from bank to bank.
It sounds charming, doesn't it? Charming but impossible - the stuff of fantasy.
Well, there is a river that could be used to make this happen. It is called the Tyburn, one of the lost rivers of London, and is still flowing, albeit several metres underground.
But there is a man with a plan. He is James Bowdidge, a property developer, and he wants to bring the Tyburn back to the surface. A keen angler, Mr Bowdidge is honorary secretary of the Tyburn Angling Society, a body which does not get to do much fishing in its river of choice, since the Tyburn was diverted underground to allow Mayfair to be built in the 18th century.
Boosted by Mayor Boris Johnson's scheme to uncover lost rivers, he has commissioned architect's drawings to show what the West End would look like with a river flowing through it.
"Wouldn't it be beautiful to have a river running through Berkeley Square?" he said. "You could have people fishing by the river in the middle of Mayfair. We would get the Wild Trout Trust to get the habitat right for small wild brown trout. Properly done, we could have salmon."
He admitted the scheme did involve slight difficulties; namely, the destruction of several billion pounds worth of property. Buckingham Palace would probably have to go, and so would the House of Commons, as well as other chunks of prime West End real estate such as Lansdowne House - former home of Pitt the Younger - now the Lansdowne Club and Berkeley Square House. A large swathe would have to be cut through Green Park.
Mr Bowdidge, chief executive of the Property Merchant Group, became interested in the Tyburn when he lived in a flat over the river, which runs from south Hampstead, through Regent's Park, along Marylebone Lane, across Oxford Street, through Mayfair and under Buckingham Palace before flowing into the Thames at Pimlico, west of Vauxhall Bridge.
He has been down into the river. "It is a fine old brick tunnel," he said. "It is like an upstanding oval, with water flowing in the bottom of it, about a foot deep. We were hoping for more." Mr Bowdidge believes water from the Tyburn was diverted towards the City in the 13th century, and that water would have to be reclaimed.
Despite the Mayor's enthusiasm in principle, Mr Bowdidge may have difficulties getting his scheme past the authorities. Sir Simon Milton, the Mayor's planning adviser, said: "I think I would need a lot of convincing that it was practical."
Mr Bowdidge thinks he has an answer. Just as building owners are compensated when their view is blocked by new development, owners of buildings whose view is improved by demolition of their neighbours could pay for the privilege. For now, however, anyone wishing to find wild trout in central London would be best advised to visit their fishmonger.
Reader views (11)
I always hoped someone would bring the old rivers back up so we can enjoy them.
- Benjamin Butler, London
Cynicism is the way for a lazy man to say that something isn't worth doing. This sounds like a great idea - although I agree that it probably would be practical for short lengths.
- Lee Washington, London
Sounds like a good idea, rather this than spend money on than the stupid Olympics.
Also, pump some into the British GP... these things make people feel good!
- Grahame, Canada
The Kilburn runs into the Westbourne and then into the
"Spanish waters" at the top of the Serpentine south of Bayswater road.
- Dchambers, UK
pst, jeremiah - there are plans to uncover the fleet as well!
Peter Ackroyd and Stephen Smith must be very happy chaps right now.
- Jc, se1
A river running through Berkeley Square? Thanks, but no. London already surfers a mouse and rat infestation, this is the last thing we need. Money could be better spent cleaning up the canals and having air conditioning on the tube. I will be sending the mayor my own painting of how this hidden sewer, beg your pardon, 'river' will look on the surface.
- Khalid, London
Before anyone sinks any money into this scheme they would do well to consider the history of the River Fleet. It ran from North London down past the Kings Cross area past the old prison and beneath Holborn Viaduct and on down Farringdon Road into the Thames at Blackfriars. In the 1700th century there were plans to promote it as the new Venice, but it sank into decay and was eventually covered over. The adjacent underground line was dubbed'The Sewer'in istzs memory. The moral of my story being, sometimes its better to let sleeping dogs lie.
- Jeremiah, London
The proposal is wonderful. But the ill mannered vandals and louts are legally allowed to vandalise such beauitful place legally. If the place was surrounded by electric fencing to keep them out, and shock them, then what a wonderful idea. Killing 2 birds with one intent, what a potential pleasurable experience?
- A.Winsley, London England
What a lovely project to do!
But is it really workable?
How much would it take from the taxpayer's purse?
- Anne-Laure, geneva switzerland
Let's not complicate it. The Tyburn does not have to be uncovered for its whole length. Regents Park to Berkeley Square would be ideal. It could then go back underground.
- Patrick Griffin, Dalston, London
What a lovely idea. In reality however the river would soon be full of discarded guns and knives and torsos floating round in tea boxes. Muslims would be complaining that fish are not Halal and local councils would insist on ten foot high fencing along the banks in case anyone fell in.
- Squiz, Islington
