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Bedford Street is a principal street running north to south through the western side of Covent Garden, connecting the Strand up toward the area around King Street and the Piazza. It takes its name from the Bedford estate, the family whose ownership of the ground shaped the district from the seventeenth century, and it stands among the earliest streets laid out as the market quarter developed. The street has a solid, established character, lined with substantial commercial buildings that reflect its long history as a working thoroughfare rather than a market lane. Present use is mainly offices, shops and dining premises, with steady pedestrian traffic moving between the Strand and the heart of Covent Garden. The church of St Paul, long known as the actors' church, stands close by within the block bounded by these western streets, tying Bedford Street to the theatrical identity of the area. For visitors, Bedford Street serves as a direct and characterful route into the market district from the river side, combining everyday commercial use with the historic weight of one of Covent Garden's founding streets. Its scale and continuity make it one of the more legible spines of this part of the neighbourhood.
