Christmas, Cecil Court

A short walk from Leicester Square tube station, nestled between Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane, you'll find a delightful little thoroughfare called Cecil Court. Its charming late Victorian shopfronts have remained unaltered for over a century, and it has a long history as a locus for booksellers and antiquarians – to this day you'll find it populated by specialists dealing in rare books, maps, prints, stamps, banknotes and other printed material.

Film fans and lovers of literature unite! Head to Cecil Court on 13 December to celebrate a Cecil Court Christmas . To mark both the festive season and the rich and vibrant history of this famous thoroughfare, the alley will be holding a day of festivities, featuring a programme full of exciting cultural highlights.

The fun starts at 2.30pm, when a new plaque commemorating Flicker Alley and Cecil Court's important role in the early British film industry will be unveiled at 27 Cecil Court. This will be followed by a screening of silent films at 5 Cecil Court, hosted by the British Film Institute and featuring piano accompaniment by John Sweeney.

Later in the afternoon, you can enjoy a festive performance of Christmas carols courtesy of Opera Holland Park, one of the UK's finest opera festivals, with London-based caterers Zakuski and Chipotle Mexican Grill on hand to provide refreshments. As the day draws to an end, head to 23 Cecil Court at 18.30, where Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy will be doing an exclusive book signing at Goldsboro Books. We can't wait to celebrate a very merry cultural Christmas!