Two of Covent Garden’s most illustrious landmarks have undergone meticulous restoration
to uphold their long-standing legacy and much-loved traditional features. Leading both
projects was international design practice, BDP which enlisted the help of experts in heritage
lighting, William Sugg & Co. to refurbish, restore and replicate a collection of historical
lighting throughout Covert Garden Market and at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Taking place
over several years, the restoration project will help to preserve the heritage of some of the
capital’s most cherished locations for centuries to come.
Covent Garden Piazza
The world renowned, Covent Garden Market is located in the heart of the West End, and
dates back to the early 17 th Century. Today it is home to a unique array of luxurious fashion
and beauty retailers, award-winning restaurants and theatres, visited annually by over 44
million people.
To ensure the iconic market retains its prestigious status and continues to stand the test of
the time, owners, real estate investment trust, Shaftesbury Capital, embarked on a
reinvention refurbishment to replace the external lighting scheme, to enhance the visitor
experience, prolong visits and encourage returning trips.
Experts in decorative heritage gas and electric exterior lighting for over 175 years, William
Sugg & Co. were entrusted by project lead, BDP to update the external heritage lighting
lining the market’s façade, incorporating new technology and more contemporary
techniques.
William Sugg & Co.’s team of skilled artisans restored a total of 52 copper lanterns
illuminating the walkways around the perimeter colonnade, and two of the large lanterns
denoting the entrance archways to the internal squares. Throughout the restoration process,
the recognized walkway lanterns were originally thought to be black, but once cleaned were
revealed to be made of gleaming copper.
After extensive cleaning, the two larger lanterns in the main archways were revealed to be
made partly of wood, an unexpected design detail, giving a variation of texture to the lantern.
The team of experts also replicated eight of the copper lanterns for replacements, as well as
hand casting a total of 9 new brackets from the existing ones in place.
The original lighting was also upgraded with retrofitted Braun Mock Mantles. The new LED
replicas of the traditional gas mantles will provide a more sustainable alternative, resulting in
more energy efficient, cost-effective lanterns with the need for less maintenance.
To bring the grade II* listed historic market hall into the 21 st Century, the general lighting was
adjusted by increasing the number of lanterns but reducing the power consumption and
source brightness of each individual fitting. The addition of modern optics with a warm colour
temperature was added to create a uniform palette of evenly distributed lighting throughout,
as well as preserving the market’s historical character and charm of a predominantly gas-lit
conservation area.
“The work our craftsman carried out for this project was a testament to the prestigious
historical landmark in itself. Over the course of 5 months, the team successfully restored,
replaced and replicated the iconic Covent Garden lanterns so they can continue to be
enjoyed by visitors. The addition of more lanterns and the advancement in technology used
has enabled us to achieve a wonderful result, enhancing the iconic features and presence of
this beloved landmark.” explains Lucy Bubb, Managing Director of William Sugg & Co.
The extensive refurbishment has also helped improve night-time safety and security, as well
as aligning with the client's goal to lower energy consumption and minimise waste by
successfully repurposing and restoring the original hanging lanterns.
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Situated on the oldest theatre site in London still in use today and nestled in the capital’s
West End, the Theatre Royal is a Grade I listed building in Covent Garden. Originally
opening in 1812, the current theatre has one of the largest auditoriums in London's West
End and has played host to some of the city’s iconic musicals including, Miss Saigon, My
Fair Lady and Oliver!
At over 200 years old, the theatre required some extensive restoration, to restore it to its
original splendour and conserve its heritage, but re-imagined for the 21 st Century. Under the
ownership of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, LW Theatres embarked on a multimillion-pound
major refurbishment, including a complete overhaul of the internal and external lighting.
Project lead, Haworth Tompkins and lighting designers, BDP entrusted the intricate and
elaborate lighting refurbishment to William Sugg & Co. whose team of heritage specialists
took a meticulous approach to ensure the preservation of the authenticity of the fittings. The
team’s restoration journey begun by collaborating with historians to identify the most
appropriate methods, which led them to Heaton Hall, a Grade I listed 18th-century country
house in Manchester, where they conducted detailed 3D scans on-site to capture every
intricate detail of the original fixtures – similar to those found at the Theatre Royal. The
scans were then used to produce precise engineered drawings and casting patterns,
ensuring an exact reproduction of the historic designs.
The result was an exquisitely detailed replication of the original torches featured in the lobby
and staircase of the theatre, brought to life through traditional casting processes and resin
patterns, created with innovative 3D scanning technology. Using the appropriate identified
methods of bespoke design, heritage lighting techniques, handcrafting and 3D modelling,
the William Sugg & Co. team also accurately produced gas flambeaux technicalities for the
Victorian style torchieres located in the rotunda, balustrades, and ground floor, as well as the
refurbishment of the exterior lights located on two entrances and specialist manufacture of
bespoke fluted glass shades for the triple lamp light source design.
William Sugg & Co. provided a complete internal and external lighting technology upgrade,
to replace the pre-existing metal halide to LED. To complete the newly refurbished theatre in
all its glory, the team of expert craftsmen installed six new 3.2 metre gas flambeaus, taking
centre stage on the external champagne terrace and adjacent balconies.
Preserving the historical grandeur of theatre was a considerable task, to ensure that any
restoration or modernisation work must be carried out carefully and sensitively, which the
team sought to do so with the close involvement of architectural heritage specialists and
Historic England.
“This prestigious project was testament to our small team of crafts men and women who
delivered above and beyond the client’s expectation. In addition to the production of intricate
authentic fittings, the team also completed safe and efficient gas lighting engineering and
installation, whilst ensuring minimal disruption during the refurbishment process.” comments
Lucy Bubb, Managing Director of William Sugg & Co.
Through their expertise and meticulous research, the William Sugg & Co. heritage lighting
specialists assisted in bringing the landmark theatre back to its original splendour with
authentic lighting and the latest in lighting technology advancements, paying homage to its
rich heritage and timeless architecture.
“We chose William Sugg & Co. to expertly assist us on both projects due to the company’s
legacy in heritage lighting and expansive knowledge. Their team of skilled artisans worked to
exceptionally high standards for these very specific heritage lighting projects. The team not
only executed both briefs outstandingly, but went above and beyond to ensure every
element, research, and expert advice was taken into consideration. We look forward to
continuing our long-standing working partnership with them in the future.” concludes Jono
Redden, Senior Lighting Designer at BDP.
