About Bloomsbury Association

Formed in 1972 and Incorporating Bloomsbury Community Association.
Promoting civic social responsibility, Quality of Life and the preservation of our architectural heritage.


We serve as a voice for the community on crime and quality-of-life matters.
We have affiliations with the following organisations and groups.  Where these groups have web sites you will find a link in our 'Useful Links' page.
Bloomsbury Improvement Group;
West End Drugs Partnership;
Bloomsbury Joint Security Group;
Bloomsbury Neighbourhood Forum;
University of London Union;
British Museum Community Liaison Group;
Bloomsbury Safer Neighbourhoods Community Panel;
West End Community Network

We have close working relations with Covent Garden Community Association (CGCA); Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association (FNA); Soho Society;
Seven Dials Monument Trust.


We tend to archive files after their sell by date so if you cant find a particular document please check 'Our files' then navigate to 'Archived Files'.

Besides keeping a watchful eye on Bloomsbury, we are building closer links with the other major community organisations in the West End of London particularly to address quality of life issues resulting from drug related activity which is the foremost concern of the community in Bloomsbury and the West End.


The Bloomsbury Association monitors all planning applications made within an area roughly bounded by Southampton Row in the east, New Oxford Street in the south and Tottenham Court Road in the west. The northern extent of the area of interest is an undefined line between Bedford Square and Russell Square. We may also take an interest in proposals of wider impact located outside this area where they may have an impact on us. The Association comments on proposals with a view to promoting high standards of planning and architecture in the area and to securing the preservation, and enhancement of Bloomsbury.


This geographic area we can cover for Planning is limited because we are severly under-resourced and can only undertake a limited amount of work.
We comment on about 50 applications per year for either planning permission, listed building consent or advertisement consent. These have been for a variety of proposals, ranging from the new buildings to shop signs. Common areas of concern for the Association are applications for the installation of air-conditioning or telecommunications equipment and building high advertisements. Other applications are frequently to do with change of use and the Association is active in seeking to discourage any change in the use of shops, particularly the area's traditional bookshops. Sometimes the Association will object to an application and sometimes it is able to offer its support. If there is nothing to say we remain silent.

We also monitor licensing applications and in general we will generally oppose any late night applications that are outside the Camden Council's Core Hours.

Partnerships:  We intend to further develop our partnership programme to include other local organisations, groups and associations that have similar interests and aims and where combined liaison, lobbying and representation might achieve more positive results. Currently we are building closer ties with UCL, UofL, and the student unions on the Bloomsbury Campus.

Residents of Bloomsbury are entitled to register as a Full voting members of the BA. MEMBERSHIP is FREE.
Non-residents with an interest in Bloomsbury may register as Affiliate members. Membership is FREE.
Our registration form can be obtained by emailing us at <members@bloomsburyassociation.org.uk>

We update our 'News' section on a regular basis.
All our important public statements and documents are published on this site and we encourage you to comment, criticise and give us feedback.  We will always respond.

PLEASE NOTE:  Re: Bloomsbury Partnership:  The Bloomsbury Association is not a member of the so called Bloomsbury Partnership.