South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south bank of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth and partly in the London Borough of Southwark. It developed much more slowly than the north bank of the river due to adverse conditions, and throughout its history has twice functioned as an entertainment district, separated by a hundred years of use as a location for industry.[1] Change to the current use of the South Bank began in 1917 with the construction of County Hall at Lambeth and the Festival of Britain in 1951 redefined the area as a place for arts and entertainment. It now forms a significant tourist district in central London which stretches from the Design Museum in the east to the London Eye in the west.[1] A series of central London bridges connect the South Bank to North London, including the more recent Golden Jubilee and Millennium pedestrian bridges.[1]
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The south bank of the River Thames was slower to develop than the north bank, alongside the City of London and Westminster, because sunlight favours the north bank and the deep channel of the Thames was alongside it. During the Middle Ages the south bank developed as a place of entertainment outside the formal regulation of the City of London on the north bank; this included theatres, prostitution and bear-baiting. By the 18th century the more genteel entertainment of the pleasure gardens had developed. However, the shallow bank and mud flats of the south bank were ideal locations for industry and docks; and the south bank went on to develop as an industrial location in a patchwork of private ownership, with the riverside cut off from the public access.[1]
There was a shift in use when the London County Council required a new County Hall, built between 1917 and 1922 on the south bank near North Lambeth.[1] The construction of County Hall returned the first section of river frontage to public use. This was extended eastwards in 1951 when the Festival of Britain caused a considerable area to be redeveloped. The legacy of the festival was mixed, with buildings and exhibits demolished to make way for Jubilee Gardens whilst the Royal Festival Hall and The Queen's Walk were retained as part of the Southbank Centre.[1] During the years following the festival the arts and entertainment complex grew with additional facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and other arts venues opened along the river such as the Royal National Theatre.
The South Bank stretches two square miles (5 square kilometres) along the southern bank of the River Thames. The western section is in the London Borough of Lambeth and the eastern section is in the London Borough of Southwark. The area is hemmed in between the river to the north and the viaducts of the approaches to Waterloo, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and London Bridge railway stations to the south.[1]
The South Bank is a significant arts and entertainment district. The Southbank Centre comprises the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Hayward art gallery. The Royal National Theatre and BFI Southbank are located adjacent to the east, but are not part of the centre. County Hall is no longer used as the seat of London government and has been converted for use as a hotel, also housing the Sea Life London Aquarium, the London Film Museum, and is the location of the London Eye.
Part of the South Bank Centre known as the under-croft, has been used by the skateboard community since the early seventies. It was originally an architectural dead-spot which has become the home of British skateboarding. The size of the under-croft has been reduced in recent years and was supposed to be returned to original size. This now seems unlikely and the future of the whole space is completely unsure at present. Part of the South Bank Centre has been turned into shops looking out over the river.
The South Bank is a central location in the 1952 comedy film The Happy Family which is set around the Festival of Britain.
Part of the success of the area as a visitor attraction is attributed to the high levels of public transport access. Several main railway terminals are within walking distance of the South Bank, on both sides of the river, including Waterloo, Charing Cross, Blackfriars and London Bridge. The London Underground has stations on or near the South Bank, from west to east, at Westminster, Waterloo, Embankment, Blackfriars, Southwark, London Bridge, Monument and Tower Hill. Accessibility to the north bank is high with connections made, from west to east, over the Westminster, Golden Jubilee, Waterloo, Blackfriars, Southwark, London and Tower bridges. The river is utilised as a means of transport with piers along the South Bank at the London Eye, Royal Festival Hall, Bankside and London Bridge.
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