The ward has existed since the creation of the borough on 1 April 1965 and was first used in the 1964 elections, although its boundaries have evolved significantly over time. Since 1983, the ward has been in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency, having previously been in Holborn and St Pancras South. It elects three councillors to Camden council, currently all held by the Labour Party, with an election every four years. In 2018, the ward had an electorate of 8,318.[1] The Boundary Commission projects the electorate to rise to 8,541 by 2025.[1]
Geography
The Bloomsbury ward is one of Camden's most densely populated wards, while also comprising the highest proportion of commercial and institutional uses.[2] Its northern boundary is defined by the major Euston Road.
The ward encompasses much of the historic area of Bloomsbury, including most of its well-preserved surviving Georgian development in the west. This area is dense in land use and population, with a large proportion of institutional and commercial uses reflecting its Central London location. The premises of University College London comprises a large part of this ward, along with its various student housing blocks, while the commercial centre of Tottenham Court Road runs down the centre from north to south.
All of Camden's portion of Fitzrovia also falls within the Bloomsbury ward, leading some to confuse this area with Bloomsbury itself. This area is less densely developed, largely retaining its original Georgian character, with a large proportion of residential uses. The mixed-use commercial and residential centres of Charlotte Street and Goodge Street also fall within this area.
There was a revision of ward boundaries in Camden in 2022. In the northeast from King's Cross ward the area bounded by Euston Road, Judd Street, Tavistock Place and Upper Woburn Place was gained. The ward gained territory in the southeast from Holborn and Covent Garden around Bloomsbury Square.
There was a revision of ward boundaries in Camden in 2002. The St Giles, Seven Dials and parts of Holborn/Covent Garden were removed from the ward in the south. The ward extended east of Woburn Place/Russell Square to take in a residential area including the Brunswick Centre.