Open House Festival showcases Piccadilly and Jermyn Street
28 October 2026
In September this year, HOLBA’s Art of London partnered with Open City to bring Piccadilly and Jermyn Street into the 2026 Open House Festival for the first time as a neighbourhood, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the stories behind some of the West End’s most distinctive historic buildings and cultural institutions.
The partnership celebrated the neighbourhood’s unique mix of heritage, culture and business, while encouraging visitors to explore more of the area and support local businesses.
Key results
- First-ever official Piccadilly & Jermyn Street neighbourhood as part of the Open House Festival
- 5,842 estimated visits to buildings and events across the neighbourhood
- 31 activities and events delivered across nine participating buildings and organisations
- £130,000 estimated economic impact in and around Piccadilly and Jermyn Street
- 83,136 views and clicks across festival website, newsletter and Instagram content
- 86% of surveyed visitors bought food and drink during their visit
Bringing the neighbourhood to life
From the scientific and historical societies at Burlington House to John Lobb and St James’s Piccadilly, the programme opened doors to places many visitors might never otherwise have explored.
The impact extended beyond the participating venues. Of those surveyed*, 79% visited four or more buildings, while 24% also went shopping, demonstrating the opportunity for cultural experiences to encourage exploration and support the wider visitor economy.
Visitor feedback was positive, with all surveyed visitors saying they enjoyed the festival and 69% feeling encouraged to return to the building or area.
The partnership also raised the neighbourhood’s profile, with Piccadilly and Jermyn Street ranking as the third most-viewed neighbourhood page on the festival website.
We would like to thank Open City and all participating organisations for helping make the 2026 partnership a success.
*visitor survey findings by Open House Festival. Based on 29 respondents. The economic impact estimate uses an average spend of £38.90 per visit, including travel, based on responses from five sites.