SHOPPING FOR THE BEST

Shopping in Neal's Yard not what it was. This place used to be the prime spot in London for health food well before the days of the 'organic' label. Nick Saunders who founded it applied his principles of top quality and fair trade as vigorously as people flocked from all over London to buy decent food there.  Food and other produce bearing the name 'Neals Yard' is worth travelling for.  The yard too is still well worth a look. Something's missing though. 

A vile pink nail-bar's sign clashes with all the other colours. I was confronted for taking a photo by one of the waiters in the burger shop (not even organic - sorry Nick).  He called me an 'old hen' in French - how very cosmopolitan to get a taste of Parisian style manners right here in Covent Garden. The juice was good though you can't really make a cock-up from the juice of mango & guava.....and there's a shop 'to let'.  Sad. Not so long ago there were waiting lists to have a shop there... with good reason.

The quality and sense of humanity that made it famous still lingers on with the remedies and back rub. And of course the cheese and bakery are keeping the good name going. Even Parisians have been known to praise the bread and cheese (cheese shop is 17 Shorts Gardens) and that's nothing to do with good manners. Where it comes to food the French knows their onions

Another typical shop window around the corner off the Seven dials