Summer in the Square

Our Summer in the Square series, where a range of sport, culture and social outdoor events were brought to Portman Square Garden saw over 13,000 people attend.

During July five events were arranged which were completely free to attend and open to the public. With our vibrant yellow brand on show with free deckchairs, cushions and blankets available and soaring temperatures there was never a risk of a gloomy day.

Kickstarting the series was Wimbledon Live, where visitors came to watch the action in SW1 on a big screen. From die-hard tennis fans to those who just wanted to sit out in the sunshine and enjoy the usually residents-only gardens, it was a great start to the series.

The Summer Festival, which expanded on our usual food market to include entertainment, games, and even a pop-up beach was a total people-pleaser. Over 25 food stalls ensured that everyone had plenty to eat and with competitions and games to burn those cake-laden calories away there was no excuse to indulge in some more. The beach and live music got everyone in the holiday spirit, even if it was for some, just for a lunchtime!

Golf in the Garden held in conjunction with the British Open got everyone practicing their putting and swing. Crazy golf, chipping and nearest the pin competitions meant crowds were competing to get their best scores to win prizes awarded by local businesses.

The spectacular Sunset Cinema showed Casablanca in a setting like no other. As soon as the gates opened people hurried in to find their perfect positions and there was hardly a blade of grass left to sit on by the time the film started. Casablanca was truly captivating and despite the central London location you could hear a pin drop during some of the scenes. With a full round of applause when the film credits rolled, it was clear that it was enjoyed by all.

The final event, Games in the Garden, brought the spirit of sporting competition to the square once again, this time the Commonwealth Games. Live action was broadcast on screen and Fitness First were on-hand to help people play, with some fun competitions arranged including tug-of-war, sprint, relay and table tennis.

Over 13,000 people in total attended these events, with over 6000 people alone attending Wimbledon. Soaring temperatures and our  friendly Ambassadors on hand to meet and greet everyone meant everyone had a smile on their face.

Kirsty Jones, Marketing & Communications Manager for the Baker Street Quarter Partnership was delighted with the success of the series “We were ambitious with our first ever series of summer events and had so many ideas for what to do that we decided to offer a range of everything. We were blown away with how many people attended and it was great to see people of the Quarter, whether workers, residents or visitors coming together and enjoying themselves. It’s our goal to create a vibrant Quarter and with such great feedback about Summer in the Square we hopefully on our way to doing that”.

Baker Street Quarter Partnership hopes to continue Summer in the Square next year. In the meantime its monthly Food Market can be found at 55 Baker Street on the second Wednesday of each month.