Harrow Road ward in the City of Westminster has been identified as one of Britain's most ethnically diverse wards, ranking in the top one per cent nationally for diversity. The ward is home to just over 11,500 people and is also the most densely populated ward in the country.
More than half of Harrow Road ward's residents identify with ethnic groups other than White. Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Bengali, and other European languages are among the most widely spoken by residents whose home language is not English.
The YAA Centre on Chippenham Mews, named after the Ghanaian queen mother and activist Yaa Asantewaa, has been at the heart of Black British arts and carnival culture in the area for almost 50 years. Harrow Road councillor Concia Albert states it remains Westminster’s only officially recognised combined Black arts and community centre.
The area also features diverse culinary offerings, including the Greek Cypriot restaurant Tsiakkos, the Eritrean-Ethiopian restaurant Mosob, and The Rug Café, which has a menu influenced by its Taiwanese owner and Korean and Japanese staff.