There's an interesting piece in Homes & Property, predicting that current market woes are going to be no more than a temporary blip in the rise of the West End market. Here, the subject is Soho, the redevelopment of the St Martin's building, the Central St Giles project. And, of course, just plain Soho:

Behind the glaring cheap neon lights, much of old Soho is hidden. There is fine architecture — Queen Anne, Georgian and Victorian buildings — that is not immediately obvious, often being tucked away in narrow streets and alleys. Increasingly, pockets of property, neglected upper floors above shops and small buildings are being turned into flats and converted from offices to residential use.

Too right... peel off the hooker's facepaint and it's a beautiful part of London... perfectly situated, too. But isn't that facepaint what makes Soho Soho? And it's still one of the few places in town where you can find independent shops that aren't just catering for the Primrose Hill or Chiswick crowd... ie. that sell stuff you actually need. So the question remains... would it be possible to reinvent Soho as a family-friendly residential area in any way in which it remains recognisable?

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