South Bank

South Bank
The London Eye on the South Bank at County Hall
South Bank Location within Greater London
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SE1
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
List of places UK England London 51°30′29″N 0°06′36″W / 51.508°N 0.110°W / 51.508; -0.110

The South Bank is an entertainment and commercial area on the south bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Lambeth, central London, England.

The South Bank is not formally defined, but is generally understood to be situated between County Hall in the west to the Oxo Tower on the borough boundary with Southwark, to the east.^[1]

South Bank consists of a narrow strip of riverside land opposite the City of Westminster and adjoins the Albert Embankment to the west and Bankside in the London Borough of Southwark to the east. As such, the South Bank may be regarded as akin to the riverside part of an area known previously as Lambeth Marsh and North Lambeth.

Throughout its history, it has twice functioned as an entertainment district, interspersed by around a hundred years of wharfs, domestic industry and manufacturing being its dominant use.^[2] Change came in 1917 with the construction of County Hall at Lambeth replacing the Lion Brewery.^[2]

The name South Bank was first widely used in 1951 during the Festival of Britain. The festival redefined the area as a place for arts and entertainment.^[2]

The area's attractions includes the County Hall complex, the Sea Life London Aquarium, the London Dungeon, Jubilee Gardens and the London Eye, the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, National Theatre, and BFI Southbank.