Church Street in Bangalore

“I particularly remember visiting Church Street in Bangalore every weekend when I lived there. It was a street that felt safe and comfortable to be in at all hours of the day. It was easy to get to, being located in central Bangalore and close to a well-connected bus terminal. It was a destination for visitors and local residents alike. I think a part of its success was because along this short stretch, there were really great and affordable places to eat and drink, places to shop, and places to just sit, hang out, and catch up with friends. It is also home to my favourite bookstore in Bangalore – Blossoms Book House – which has three wonderful stories of floor to ceiling stacks of used and new books of every genre and category. Another memorable local store along the street was a magazine store where a family of cats lived. When at the store, the cats would come over for pets. I spent a lot of time in those stores browsing – never felt any pressure to purchase anything to spend time in those spaces.

The ground and upper floors of many of the buildings along the street are home to restaurants, bars and shops. I often spent weekends on Church Street where I would meet friends who lived in different parts of the city – we would get a drink and spend hours on a first-floor patio watching people walk along Church Street.

I am a woman and safety at night was a big priority in choosing spaces where I spent my time. Church Street, because of its mix of uses and users – women, families, seniors all frequented the street – was active and busy late into the night, which made it feel safe to be in. It was also a short walk away from a metro station and it was always easy to find autorickshaws nearby – an important factor when thinking about travelling home later at night.”(Booklet Positive Lived Experiences of Quality in the Built Environment 2023, p.143).

Google map link: https://goo.gl/maps/m8UEELZhdCKfu1AF9