The Burlington Arcade in London was built in 1819 by Lord George Cavendish to take his wife’s shopping away from the dirt and grime of everyday London life. It stands today as a luxurious shopping area located between the bustling Piccadilly and historic Regent Street, renowned for its Burlington arcade jewellers and Burlington arcade watches. The elegant glass-roofed walkway, bordered by boutiques of international designer brands, luxury Burlington arcade jewellers, Burlington arcade watches and cafés, delights shoppers in an environment unparalleled in London. Illuminated with modern lighting services from Polyteck – providing stunning visual effects – the Burlington Arcade has been restored to its original splendour over 200 years since its opening.

Burlington Arcade – what is it?

The Burlington Arcade was designed with an Egyptian style to complement the nearby Egyptian Hall and held the name of “Hamilton’s Bazaar.” It is located between Piccadilly Circus and Bond Street tube stations, opposite St James’s Piccadilly Hotel (formerly Le Méridien Piccadilly) on Piccadilly at 51 Piccadilly, London W1J 0QJ. Home to 46 shops among which some of London’s most exclusive jewellers and fashion houses, it promises to host a dynamic display of the latest high-street shopping products catering to every taste.

Updated management and shopping experience.

In 2019 it was acquired by the Reuben brothers – David and Simon. The Reuben family have grandiose plans for the Burlington Arcade, setting high expectations from London’s dedicated luxury shoppers. The complex will keep its heritage legacy while serving a more demanding mix of newcomers and seekers of custom-made solutions. As retail changes and shoppers’ tastes shift to immersive, personalised experiences, Burlington Arcade’s smaller units can provide a unique “experience-led” retail feel to every shopper. The new hall concept will feature food and beverage pop-ups to help visitors spend more time making the right purchase decision. Finally, the Burlington Arcade London will also evolve to accommodate the 10 per cent spike in international visitors since before the acquisition. Since 2018 more Middle Eastern, Asian, and US shoppers have strolled through the arcade’s walkways. 

The iconic Burlington Arcade is a shopping destination like no other. It is home to some of Britain’s most coveted shops such as Roja Parfums and Penhaligons, who specialise in luxurious fragrances, Strathberry and Kwanpen which offer remarkable hand-crafted leather goods and global brands Vilebrequin, Globe Trotter, Ladurée and Lalique that are popular all over the world. With shops of all sizes whatever your style or budget you will undoubtedly find something special at Burlington Arcade.

Can you whistle in Burlington Arcade?

A schoolboy has become only the second person in the world who is allowed to whistle inside London’s Burlington Arcade—a shopping centre that was once off-limits to such rude behaviour. Until now, Paul McCartney had been the only person granted a dispensation from its strict no-whistling policy; but he has just joined forces with a young chap from East London.

The ban on whistling in the 19th century was primarily motivated by fear that its piercing sound would summon pickpockets and alert them to approaching law enforcement officials. Currently, only one person owns the lifetime whistle exemption ban, which is Paul McCartney. The beadle who back in 1980 asked him not to whistle let the Beattle’s legend off the hook day for obvious reasons.

But there is another story worth telling about the whistle ban, proving more relevant and relatable to school children. Until 2011, the arcade’s ban on whistling had never been broken. But that all changed when a six-year-old boy was brought there by his uncle. 

The student was having trouble at home, and he wasn’t performing well in school as a result. The beedle and the boy had a good chat about the history of the arcade, developing a connection to something more than small talk. Eventually, the conversation turned into a swap, where the boy would receive permission to whistle once his grades were up.

Then the boy’s uncle returned to the arcade. He told the beadles that his nephew worked hard and received better grades.

The arcade printed up a document with his name on it, verifying that he could whistle there. With that, Burlington Arcade showed us that robust management, enforcement and kindness can co-exist. 

Polyteck is proud to be part of the restoring the original glory of the Arcade.

Thanks to Polyteck, the Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly has regained some of its former glory. The magnetic strip of stores has been lovingly restored to its original glory with Polyteck’s attention to detail and expertise. The building’s luxurious heritage was of utmost importance to our maintenance engineers, who performed every scheduled task from electrical inspection to monitoring fire alarm systems with diligence and rigour. The Arcade deserves the best, which is why we delivered extensive reactive and planned maintenance services. 

Visitors can admire the old-world charm and grandeur through the new decoration and lighting, adding a unique atmosphere for those who pass through. With decor that transcends time, the Burlington Arcade stands tall as one of London’s most renowned and classic attractions. Shoppers’ experience is essential to Polyteck. We always had seasoned electricians and handymen working after hours due to this reason. 

We are committed to ensuring that the quality of our service meets or exceeds industry standards.

While the Burlington Arcade project is the highlight in our portfolio, Polyteck’s services span multiple types of properties. You can read more at Burlington Arcade article.