Oxford Street
History
From Roman times until the end of the 17th century, Oxford Street existed primarily as a westwards route out of the City of London towards Oxford, hence the name.
The development of Oxford Street as a prime shopping area began at the start of 20th century with the opening of the major stores. The first was the furnishing specialists, Waring & Gillow, completed in 1906.
This was followed by Debenham and Freebody in Wigmore Street which opened in 1909 and the first part of Selfridges later in the same year. Today Oxford Street represents the heart of London's West End shopping and is Britain's busiest street. Around 200 million people visit it each year.
Oxford Street underwent a complete transformation in the 1980s. The Virgin Megastore; the second HMV unit; the arrival of Miss Selfridge; the refurbishment of the C & A store, one of three on the street; another major extension to the Marks & Spencer Pantheon store; and the arrival of The Plaza, a major shopping mall, are the result of a massive investment at the eastern end.
A current £10 million City Council improvement programme is producing wider pavements, additional pedestrian crossings, new seating, lighting and signage.
Selfridges has its own £300 million development plan which will enlarge the store by 100,000 sq ft and create a new five star hotel and restaurant, new leisure facilities including a spa and swimming pool, prime office space and underground car parking.
Oxford Street is the workplace of about 60,000 people. Of course, it has a worldwide reputation and is London's most popular tourist attraction with about 9 million overseas visitors a year (around two thirds of London's tourists) accounting for about 20% of its income.
The budget for keeping the street clean and collecting refuse - which includes emptying 300 litter bins six times a day - equals the total for a small town.
Shopping
With over 300 shops totaling 5 million square feet and stores ranging from Topshop to Gap and HMV to the Virgin megastore, it is no wonder that there is hardly room to move on Oxford Street.
Niketown, at Oxford Circus, is a magnet for sports fanatics. Whether basketball or billiards is your game, you will find the appropriate gear here. Each sport has its own dedicated pavilion so you should have no difficulty finding your way around.
J-D Sports, JJB Sports and Foot Locker also have stores along Oxford Street which aim to rival Nike's dominace.
Big guns Gap, Marks and Spencer, H&M, Topshop, River Island and Next duel it out along the length of Oxford Street for the business of shoppers looking to upgrade their wardrobes.
The January sales, which now start just after Christmas, are responsible for some serious elbow sharpening as bargain hunters queue outside these stores to get their favourite clothes at reduced prices.
Newcomers, including the Japanese home store Muji and Spanish giants Zara and Mango are at the forefront of a new wave of stores trying to attract shoppers into their modernly designed shops.
Wallis, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins, among others, specialise in women's clothes and provide relatively men-free zones where some serious shopping can be done.
If it all gets too much for you though, there are two shopping malls (West One and The Plaza) where you can retreat from the madness of the streets and shop in slightly more relaxed circumstances.
Should your feet, let alone your wallet, be feeling the strain then you might want to take the opportunity to sit down here and have a drink or bite to eat.
St Christopher's Place, near Bond Street station, is also a great place to take a break. This place really comes alive in the summer as there is pavement seating and occasionally some live music to take your mind of looming credit card bills.
Department Stores
Undoubtedly, the four department stores are flagships for Oxford Street shopping.
Debenhams, which claims to be Britain's favourite department store, offers exclusive designer ranges, men's, women's and children's fashions, cosmetics, sportswear, accessories and home departments.
John Lewis comprises seven floors of shopping including the latest fashion, a range of furnishings and fabrics, and just about everything for the home.
Marks and Spencer is a name that is instantly identifiable with traditional British shopping. Now that most stores around the world have shut down, the attraction for tourists in particular is as strong as ever.
Allders, a relative newcomer, is trying to muscle its way into this prestigious market and can be found at the Marble Arch end of the street.
An even more historical experience can be had at Selfridges, which boasts shopping in a listed classical-style building, completely renovated over the last few years, which is a London landmark. |
West
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