tourist shops oxford street

What Are All The Shops On Oxford Street? A Super Simple Guide (2024)

If you’re new to London – either living or visiting – the number of shops on Oxford Street can be overwhelming. And if you’re not familiar with European and UK brands and stores, it’s even more confusing. 

What are all these shops in Oxford Street, what do they sell, and which ones are best for you? 

Here’s a super simple guide to shops at Oxford Street for newcomers to help you make the most of your shopping time and money. 

I’ll also detail shopping tips and tricks, navigating the crowds, and the best places to take a break and recharge. 

Understanding the Oxford Street Shopping Scene

The area known as “Oxford Street” isn’t only contained to one street.

This large shopping destination encompasses many nearby streets, but it is collectively referred to as “Oxford Street” or “Oxford Circus.” 

This entire area is a large, spread out shopping destination with tons of shops.

Shops On Oxford Street Aren’t Just on Oxford Street

Oxford Street may be the namesake, but there are a few iconic shopping streets in the area all within walking distance of each other.

Here are the major shopping streets: 

1. Oxford Street 

The high street brands shopping destination.

Known as Europe’s busiest shopping street, Oxford Street is famous for its wide range of high street shops and department stores, including the renowned Selfridges.

2. Regent Street

High street and bougie brands with iconic architecture.

Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London, noted for its architecturally distinguished buildings and home to upscale boutiques and flagship stores.

3. Carnaby Street

The trendy street with pop-ups.

Carnaby Street, synonymous with 1960s “Swinging London,” remains a trendy spot with a vibrant collection of independent boutiques, unique shops, and themed cafes and bars.

4. Bond Street/New Bond Street 

The luxury shopping street.

Bond Street is one of London’s most luxurious shopping destinations, famous for its elegant stores, exclusive brands, designer fashion, fine jewels, art, and antiques. Bond Street is the southern section, and New Bond Street is the northern section of the same road.

5. Savile Row 

The historic garment street.

Famous worldwide for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, Savile Row in Mayfair is synonymous with high-quality British craftsmanship and classic style.

Navigating Oxford Street

Getting to Oxford Street is super easy from anywhere in London. 

Using the London Underground is the easiest. The Oxford Circus area has several tube stations, and is served by the following underground stations:

• Oxford Circus Station: The most centrally located, and served by the Bakerloo, Central, and Victoria lines. 
• Bond Street: Centrally located, connected by Elizabeth Line, Central line & Jubilee line. 
• Marble Arch: Located at the West end of Oxford Street, Marble arch station is served by the Central Line. 
• Tottenham Court Road: Located at the East end of the shopping district, this station is served by the Elizabeth, Central, and Northern lines. 

Use Citymapper or Google Maps to easily navigate to and from the Oxford Circus area. 

Buses are also everywhere and come very often, serving a ton of different routes.

If you need to take an Uber or a black cab, this area is also easily accessible, with plenty of cars on all the major streets. 

The Ultimate Guide to Shopping on Oxford Street: What All The Shops Are 

You’ve made your way to Oxford Circus – now where should you shop? 

You have so many choices. Let’s decode what all the shops are to help you find what you’re looking for fast. 

Shopping on Oxford Street: Department Stores 

Looking for large shops on Oxford Street that sell a bit of everything? You need a department store.

Here are the major ones.

Department Stores on Oxford Street: Budget to Mid Range  £

• Argos: Retailer for home goods and electronics. Click and collect model (no displays).
• H&M: Affordable, trendy fashion and accessories.
• Matalan: Budget-friendly family clothing and homeware.
• Primark: Inexpensive, fast-fashion clothing retailer.
• TK Maxx: Discounted designer brands and homeware.

Department Stores on Oxford Street: Mid-Range to High End  ££

• House of Fraser: Upscale department store with designer brands.
• John Lewis: Renowned for quality goods and customer service.
• Marks & Spencer: British icon for clothing, food, and home.
• Next : Contemporary clothing and home furnishings retailer.

Department Stores on Oxford Street: Luxury  £££

• Fenwick: Exclusive department store with luxury brands.
• Harvey Nichols: High-end fashion and beauty retailer. Called “Harvey Nicks” to locals.
• Liberty: Iconic store known for luxury goods and fabric prints.
• Selfridges: Prestigious department store with designer labels.

Shopping on Oxford Street: Women’s Clothing 

The majority of shops on Oxford Street sell women’s clothing; it’s the largest portion of shops that are available.

Here’s all the major shops, what they sell, and the type of shopper they cater to. 

Women’s Clothing: Budget to Mid-Range  £-££

• Gap: Casual, American-style clothing and basics.
• Mango: European-inspired, contemporary fashion styles.
• Reserved: European chain with modern, stylish apparel.
• River Island: Trendy, high-street fashion and accessories.
• Stradivarius: Youthful, fashion-forward clothing and accessories.

Women’s Clothing on Oxford Street: Mid-Range to Luxury  ££-£££

• & Other Stories: High-end, stylish clothing and accessories.
• All Saints: Edgy, contemporary fashion and leather goods.
• Bershka: Trendy, youthful fashion with urban influence.
• COS: Modern, functional, timeless design apparel.
• Flannels: Luxury clothing, footwear, and accessories.
• Free People: Bohemian apparel and lifestyle clothing.
• French Connection: Fashion-forward clothing with a quirky spin.
• Hobbs: Classic British fashion and quality tailoring.
• Jaeger: Premium British brand for timeless clothing.
• Massimo Dutti: Sophisticated, contemporary fashion.
• Mint Velvet: Relaxed luxury fashion and accessories.
• Monsoon: Ethnically-inspired, hand-crafted women’s clothing.
• Oasis: Fashionable clothing with a feminine touch.
• Reiss: Modern, high-end fashion and tailoring.
• Toast: Artisanal clothing with a modern twist.
• Uniqlo: Affordable, casual, and essential wear with good quality.
• United Colors of Benetton: Colorful and casual global fashion brand.
• Warehouse: Trend-led fashion for the modern woman.
• Whistles: Chic, contemporary, and effortless fashion.
• Zara: Fast-fashion clothing with the latest trends.

Specialty Shops on Oxford Street 

Oxford Street has everything from designer watches to luxe handbags to trendy jewelry. Here are the major shops for accessories.

Handbags, Leather Goods & Accessories

• Accessorize: Trendy, affordable fashion accessories and jewelry.
• Calzedonia: Italian brand known for hosiery and beachwear.
• Coach: Luxury brand offering handbags and leather goods.
• Dune: Stylish footwear and accessories with a London edge.
• Furla: Italian luxury goods with a contemporary twist.
• Kurt Geiger : Fashion-forward footwear and accessories.
• Michael Kors: Designer handbags, watches, and luxury accessories.

Shoe Shops in Oxford Street

• Adidas: Iconic brand for trainers and lifestyle footwear.
• Aldo: Trendy, affordable footwear and accessories.
• Asics: Athletic and sports-inspired shoes and apparel.
• Clarks: Classic, comfortable shoes for all ages.
• Dr Martens : Known for durable, iconic leather boots.
• Ecco: Comfortable, Scandinavian design shoes.
• Foot Locker: International retailer for sports footwear and apparel.
• JD Sports: Leading trainer and sports fashion retailer.
• New Balance: Athletic shoes with emphasis on performance.
• Nike: World-renowned sports and lifestyle footwear.
• Office: Fashion-forward footwear for men and women.
• Red Wing: Durable, high-quality work boots.
• Schuh: Wide range of trendy and casual shoes.
• Skechers: Comfortable, casual shoes and trainers.
• Soletrader: Designer shoes for men, women, and kids.
• Timberland: Known for rugged, outdoor footwear.

Jewelry  & Watches

• H Samuel : Popular retailer for affordable jewelry and watches.
• Longines: Swiss brand known for elegant, high-quality watches.
• Pandora: Famous for customizable charm bracelets and jewelry.
• Swarovski: Renowned for precision-cut crystal jewelry and accessories.
• Swatch: Swiss brand known for colorful and innovative watches.
• TAG Heuer: Luxury watches known for precision and performance.
• Watches of Switzerland: Retailer of luxury watch brands.

Gifts & Trinkets 

• Flying Tiger: Danish brand for quirky, colorful, and affordable home goods, toys, and novelties.
• Miniso: Chinese-Japanese retailer offering stylish, budget-friendly lifestyle and household items.
• Moleskine: Italian brand known for high-quality notebooks, planners, and writing tools.
• Muji: Japanese retailer famous for its minimalist design and household goods.
• Pull & Bear: Fashion retailer with a range of trendy apparel and accessories, often with a youthful vibe.

Shops at Oxford Street for Kids & Toys 

• Abercrombie Kids: An offshoot of the Abercrombie & Fitch store, offering trendy clothing and accessories for kids.
• Build-a-Bear Workshop in Selfridges: A fun, interactive store where children can create and personalize their own stuffed animals.
• Hamleys: One of the world’s largest and oldest toy stores, offering a vast range of toys and games for children.
• John Lewis Toy Department: A comprehensive selection of toys and games for children of all ages within the well-known department store.
• The Disney Store: A magical retail space offering a wide range of Disney-themed toys, clothing, and memorabilia.

Shopping on Oxford Street for Undergarments & Intimates 

• Agent Provocateur : Luxury lingerie brand known for its provocative and glamorous designs.
• Ann Summers: Retailer specializing in lingerie, sleepwear, and adult novelty items.
• Boux Avenue: Offers a wide range of lingerie, sleepwear, and swimwear, catering to all sizes.
• Bravissimo: Specializes in lingerie, swimwear, and clothing for women with larger cup sizes.
• I ntimissimi: Italian brand known for its elegant lingerie and nightwear.
• Victoria’s Secret & PINK: Wide range of lingerie, beauty products, and its PINK line targeting younger women.

Shops at Oxford Street for Bath, Beauty & Makeup

• Boots: Popular pharmacy chain offering health and beauty products, including cosmetics and skincare.
• Charlotte Tilbury: Luxury makeup and skincare brand known for its high-quality, glamorous products.
• Glam Touch: Specializes in Korean beauty and skincare products.
• Inglot: Polish cosmetics brand known for its wide range of colors and customizable palettes.
• Kiko: Italian cosmetics brand offering a wide range of affordable makeup and skincare products.
• Lush: Retailer known for its ethically-sourced, handmade cosmetics and bath products.
• Mac: Professional makeup brand renowned for its diverse range of colors and high-quality products.
• Sally Beauty: Professional beauty supply store offering a wide range of hair and beauty products.
• Space NK: Luxury beauty boutique with a curated selection of high-end skincare and makeup.
• Superdrug: High street store offering a wide range of health and beauty products at affordable prices.
• The Body Shop: Ethical beauty brand known for its naturally-inspired skincare, body care, and cosmetics.

Shop in Oxford Street for Men’s Clothing & Accessories

There are tons of department stores on Oxford Street that have great men’s sections, but there are also tons of shops in the area just for men.

With the iconic Savile Row nearby, you can find the best of the best men’s clothing in this area.

Men’s Clothing & Accessories: Budget to Mid-Range  £-££

• Gap: American brand known for casual wear and basic apparel.
• JD Sports: Retailer offering sports and casual wear, including popular sportswear brands.
• Matalan: Budget-friendly fashion retailer offering a range of men’s clothing and accessories.
• Primark: Known for very affordable fashion and a wide selection of men’s clothing.
• River Island: High-street brand known for trendy men’s fashion and accessories.
• TK Maxx: Offers discounted designer clothing and accessories.
• Under Armour: Specializing in sports and performance wear.

Men’s Clothing & Accessories: Mid-Range to Luxe  ££-£££

• Boggi Milano: Italian brand known for sophisticated menswear and tailored suits.
• Boss: High-end label offering modern, refined business and casual wear.
• Charles Tyrwhitt: Known for its fine shirts, traditional tailoring, and classic menswear.
• Flannels: Luxury retailer offering designer clothing, shoes, and accessories.
• John Lewis: Department store known for a wide range of quality menswear and accessories.
• Marks & Spencer : British retailer offering a diverse range of classic and contemporary menswear.
• Moss: Specializes in men’s suits and formal wear, including bespoke tailoring services.
• Oliver Spencer: Offers contemporary menswear with an emphasis on premium fabrics and relaxed tailoring.
• Uniqlo: Japanese brand known for its innovative and functional apparel.
• United Colors of Benetton: Global fashion brand known for its colorful and trendy designs.
• Zegna: High-end menswear and accessories. 

Home & Decor Shopping on Oxford Street 

Most of the department stores on Oxford Street have a home section. Here are the best: 

• TK Maxx: Offers a diverse range of discounted home goods , including decor, kitchenware, and bedding.
• Selfridges: High-end home decor and furnishings department.
• John Lewis: Well-known for its comprehensive and quality home and decor department, offering everything from furniture to home accessories.
• Urban Outfitters: Popular for its eclectic and trendy home decor items, often appealing to a younger demographic.
• H&M Home: Offers a stylish and affordable range of home decor, textiles, and accessories in line with the latest trends.
• Matalan: Budget-friendly homeware & decor.
• IKEA (Coming 2024!): Londoners are excited for a brand new IKEA to open on Oxford Street in 2024!

Luxury and Designer Shopping on Oxford Street 

Looking for luxe? Or want to be like Taylor Swift at “Louis V on Bond Street?” I’ve got you covered. 

Here are some of the most luxurious boutiques in the Oxford Street area. Many of these are clustered around “New Bond Street” and more toward Soho.

• Alexander Wang: Edgy, urban-inspired fashion and accessories.
• Burberry: Iconic British luxury fashion and trench coats.
• Cartier: Prestigious French jewelry and luxury watches.
• Chanel: High-end French fashion, beauty, and accessories.
• David Morris: Exquisite, luxurious jewelry and gemstones.
• Dolce & Gabbana: Italian luxury fashion and accessories.
• Garrard: Renowned British jeweler and luxury goods.
• Jimmy Choo: Luxury shoes, handbags, and accessories.
• Longchamp: French luxury leather goods and handbags.
• Louis Vuitton: Premium French fashion and leather goods.
• Philip Plein: Bold, high-end fashion and accessories.
• Prada: Italian luxury fashion, leather goods, and accessories.
• Ralph Lauren: Premium American lifestyle and fashion brand.
• Rolex: World-famous Swiss luxury watches.
• Stella McCartney: High-fashion with a sustainable focus.
• Tiffany & Co.: Iconic American luxury jewelry.
• Tod’s: Italian luxury shoes and leather goods.
• Valentino: Italian haute couture and luxury fashion.
• Versace: Italian luxury fashion and glamorous designs.

Nearby Dining: Take Shopping Breaks! 

It’s easy to get exhausted and overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. 

Here are some nearby oases to take a break and recharge. 

Dining Near Oxford Street: Budget £ 

• Five Guys: Basic burgers to fuel your shopping cardio. 
• Nordic Bakery: A peaceful spot for Scandinavian pastries and coffee.
• Mother Mash: Traditional English pies with a modern flair. 
• Pure: Healthy foods and snacks with fresh ingredients. 
• The Breakfast Club: Offers a variety of hearty breakfast and brunch options
• Patty & Bun: Known for juicy, gourmet burgers and relaxed vibes.
• Honest Burgers: Serves British beef burgers with homemade rosemary chips.

Dining Near Oxford Street: Mid-Range ££

• Berners Tavern: Sophisticated and trendy, offering contemporary British cuisine.
• Cinnamon Soho: Contemporary Indian cuisine with a modern twist.
• The Photographers’ Gallery Café: Artsy café ideal for a light bite and great coffee.
• The Social Eating House: Chic bistro with innovative dishes and a cozy atmosphere.
• Dishoom Carnaby: Bombay-inspired Indian cuisine with a vintage charm.

Dining Near Oxford Street: Luxe & Posh £££

• The Langham, London: Renowned for its luxurious afternoon tea experience.
• Bob Bob Ricard: Known for its opulent decor and “Press for Champagne” buzzers ( and a favorite of Taylor Swift!).
• Afternoon Tea at Claridge’s: Iconic for traditional and elegant afternoon tea.
• Fortnum & Mason: Offers exquisite afternoon tea in a quintessentially English setting.
• Aqua Kyoto: High-end Japanese restaurant with a stylish rooftop terrace.
• Flat Iron: Specializes in steak in a cozy, casual setting.
• Sketch: Unique, artistic venue offering afternoon tea and eclectic dining. Also a favorite of Taylor Swift!

Beyond Oxford Street – Nearby Attractions

• British Museum: Located a short distance from Oxford Street, the British Museum is one of the world’s foremost museums, showcasing a vast collection of art and antiquities from various cultures across the globe. And it’s totally free!
• Hyde Park: One of London’s largest and most famous parks, Hyde Park is a great place for relaxation and leisure activities. It’s within walking distance of Oxford Street.
• Soho: Known for its vibrant nightlife, restaurants, and bars, Soho is a popular area for those looking to experience London’s diverse cultural scene.
• Madame Tussauds London: A famous wax museum, located a bit north of Oxford Street, featuring lifelike wax figures of celebrities and historical figures.
• The Wallace Collection: A museum in an historic London townhouse, a short distance from Oxford Street, with an extensive collection of fine and decorative arts.
• Covent Garden: Known for its market, street performers, shops, and restaurants, Covent Garden is a short distance away and offers a blend of culture, shopping, and entertainment.
• Piccadilly Circus: A famous public space in London’s West End, known for its neon signs and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It’s a lively area with many shops and entertainment options.
• Theatre District (West End): If you’re interested in the performing arts, London’s West End, with its numerous theaters showcasing world-class plays and musicals, is not far from Oxford Street.

Oxford Street Shopping Tips for Newbies

First time shopping on Oxford Street? It’s easy to get overwhelmed. 

It can get very crowded on weekends, especially during the high tourist seasons of summertime and the Christmas holidays. When it’s crowded, your phone will drain faster trying to find the network, so locate nearby charging points if you need to.

Tube stations may be packed, traffic will be backed up, and the sidewalks will be tricky to navigate.

If you don’t do well in crowds, don’t go on the weekend or during the holidays.

Also note that on Sundays, many stores have fairly short opening hours, such as noon to five. 

Shopping on Oxford Street: Final Tips

Shopping on Oxford Street can be an experience! There are so many choices, so many shops, and so many people. It can be overwhelming, so I hope this simple guide has given you a place to start.

It helps to know a bit about this massive area before you go. It may not be for you, and that’s okay.

There is a perfect shopping destination in London for everyone, whether it’s local markets, charity shops , boutiques, discount high street shops, or magical Christmas stores.

Enjoy your London time, keep your budget in mind , and have fun!

More on Eating & Shopping in London 

Shopping in Battersea Power Station: Everything You Need to Know

Where Can I Charge my Phone in London? Local’s Ultimate Guide (2024)

The Ultimate Taylor Swift Guide to London

Ultimate Guide to 31+ Fan-Favorite Crystal Shops in London

21 Best Cafes in London Bridge for Work, Play, Study & More 

31 Exclusive and Unusual Things to Buy in London, and 15 Things to Avoid

The Best Thrift Shops in London: 7 Areas to Score the Best Second Hand Bargains

Where’s the Biggest & Best TK Maxx in London? 

15 of the best Christmas Shops in London, from Budget to Luxe 

Grocery Shopping in the US vs UK: 5 Important Differences You Need to Know 

21 of the Best Korean Shops in London for K-Pop, K-Beauty & More

Shops at Oxford Street FAQ

Which part of oxford street is best for shopping.

It depends on what you’re shopping for. Oxford Street and Regent Street are best for high-street brands & department stores, Bond Street is best for luxury and designer shopping, Carnaby Street is best for trendy pop-ups, and Savile Row is best for bespoke clothing and accessories.

Is Oxford Street still good for shopping?

In 2024, even though much of our shopping has moved online, Oxford Street is still great for having an in-person shopping experience. If you want to get all your Christmas shopping done in one go, or actually try on garments before purchasing, you can’t go wrong with an afternoon at Oxford Street.

What is the best time to go shopping on Oxford Street?

Oxford Street is least crowded first thing in the morning the moment the shops open, between 9:30-11 am. At Christmastime, however, it can be crowded from open to close. Weekends at all times of year can be very busy.

Is Oxford Street or Westfield better for shopping?

If it’s raining or very cold or snowing, Westfield might be a better bet. It also depends on your location: Westfield is less centrally located, so if you’re a tourist staying in Central London, Oxford Street may be closer and easier.

Which M&S on Oxford Street is bigger?

Of the two Marks & Spencer stores on Oxford Street, the flagship store closer to Marble Arch is bigger. The other location further East is also large but not quite as big.

Does Oxford Street have Primark?

The largest Primark in London is on Oxford Street! It’s a one-stop shopping destination for the budget buyer.

What is London’s most famous store?

Harrods in Knightsbridge – and not near Oxford Street – is likely London’s most famous store. On and near Oxford Street, the iconic and historic department store Selfridges is the most famous.

Is Oxford Street and Oxford Circus the same?

Technically, Oxford Circus is a junction and Oxford Street is a road. But colloquially, both these terms mean the same thing: the shopping destination encompassing Oxford Street, Regent Street, and the surrounding roads. If someone says they’re ‘going shopping on Oxford Street,’ they don’t necessarily mean the street itself, but the general area.

Similar Posts

21 of the Best Korean Shops in London for KPop, K-Beauty & More

Looking for K-pop shops in London? Korean beauty shops in London? Groceries and snacks? Here are the best Korean shops in London.

Planning A Day Trip From London To Bath: Everything To Know Now

Exactly how to plan a day trip from London to Bath: how to get there, what to see, budget, travel tips, and more.

Iconic London Landmarks Quiz: Can You Pass These 25 Fun Trivia Questions?

Ready to test your knowledge with this fun London Landmarks Quiz? Let’s see how well you know the Big Smoke!

What’s the Closest Country to London? 10 Incredible Trips to Take Today

Looking for the closest country to London? Take a trip now to one of these nearest countries to London, listed here with distance, prices and tips.

Super Simple Itinerary for 4 Days in London

A Londoner reveals exactly how to spend 4 days in London for maximum efficiency & fun.

Is London in Europe? 7 Super Common Questions Answered

Is London in Europe? Is the UK part of Europe? Common questions answered simply.

9 Hidden Gems in Oxford Street Bound to Elevate Your Trip to London

By: Author The Working Line

Posted on Published: August 24, 2023  - Last updated: January 11, 2024

There may be affiliate links throughout the content you're about to read. When you purchase from my links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) which helps me provide even more awesome content for you :)

Hidden gems in Oxford Street are plenty; restaurants and cool shops might have the monopoly of the street, but there are still some very secret things to see there.

If you’re traveling to London for the first time , chances are you’ll want to go shopping in Central London more than once.

But you’ll also quickly understand that when you look up, there are lots of hidden gems you’ll find in every area of the city.

Oxford Street is one of my favorite – and one of the trendiest areas of London.

Tourists and locals blend there in a massive crowd that never seems to decrease, visiting study cafes in nearby Marylebone and Mayfair, and checking out the racks at Selfridges.

If you’re looking for cheap clothes in London , Oxford Street has a couple of cool fashion shops that are worth both time and budget.

But honestly – look up.

From free rooftops to hidden statues, these are the best hidden gems in Oxford Street to discover solo, with friends or family!

Read: Tips for First Time Cruisers

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Aqua Kyoto Rooftop

The first stop on our list is Aqua Kyoto on Argyll Street, just off Oxford Circus Tube Station.

For whoever needs to find halal Japanese food in London , Aqua Kyoto will cater to you but beyond that, one of the restaurant’s highlights is its incredible rooftop.

If you’d like to catch free views of London , Aqua Kyoto is not the place but for a romantic date , they offer affordable set lunches to enjoy elevated sushi and other exquisite Japanese dishes.

Read: The Must Have Apps to Survive in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Post Building Rooftop

Now in terms of free rooftops in London , one of the newcomers is the rooftop at the Post Building, on New Oxford Street.

You’re literally at the very end of Oxford Street, pass by Tottenham Court Road station, and that’s the area in which you’ll find the Post Building rooftop.

On a clear day, the view from the Post Building rooftop is incredible and makes you grateful to be able to live in London.

When it rains in London , though, we’ll avoid this one and move on to shops and other shopping centers like Selfridges or John Lewis.

Read: The Best Croissants in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Queen of Time Clock Sculpture, Selfridges

The Queen of Time statue is nothing if not one of the best hidden gems in Oxford Street, and is located right above Selfridges’ entrance.

There are lots of mythological statues in London and other incredible allegorical statues which you can namely find around Bank Tube Station.

The Queen of Time statue, perched on the Ship of Commerce, is one of them.

It doesn’t look like it, but this statue was first unveiled in 1931 and is still very well-preserved.

It marked the 21st birthday of Selfridges, and is one of those secret sights which make Oxford Street that much more special.

Read: The Most Beautiful Bookshops in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Allies Statue, New Bond Street

Located on New Bond Street, the Allies statue features Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt, and makes for another one of the best hidden gems in Oxford Street.

Crafted out of bronze, the pair of politicians are separated enough on their bench that tourists are often found taking pictures in between the two statues.

New Bond Street is one of the hearts of the posh Mayfair area , and you’ll find amazing art galleries and shops nearby.

The shops in Mayfair ooze luxury, as do all the art galleries and the beautiful arcades (notably the beautiful Burlington Arcade, perfect during Christmas time).

Walk around, check out Flocafe for amazing espresso and iced coffee, and why not end up in one of Mayfair’s most beautiful restaurants for a romantic dinner date?

Read: The Most Secret Gardens in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Ballerina Statue, Plaza Shopping Center

There are lots of beautiful bronze statues in London, including around Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and London Bridge.

One of them is the Ballerina statue, inspired by former ballerina Darcey Bussell.

Around Central London , you’ll also find other bronze sculptures like the Three Golden Divers (also called the Three Graces, or Daughters of Helios) as well as the three Horses of Helios, both located at Haymarket.

The Ballerina statue is located above the entrance of a former shopping center, The Plaza, and was unveiled to London in 1997 – still amazingly preserved today!

Read: Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Lush Coffee Shop

You’ll find lots of cute cafes around Oxford Street, but one of the street’s hidden gems is the coffee shop located on the first floor of the Lush shop.

Lush is one of my favorite makeup stores in London , especially the vintage lipsticks and the incredible metallic eyeliners – both amazing Lush products.

The Lush coffee shop is completely vegan and caters to cravings with snacks, cakes and delicious Plant Works Cafe beans.

It tends to be quite empty, so why not take some time from walking around with an oat latte?

Who knows – the Lush cafe might become one of your top spots to write in London !

Read: The Best Bookshop Cafes in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: Beavers Statues

If you look up at numbers 105 to 109 Oxford Street, you’ll find four beaver sculptures, and this has everything to do with what the building used to be used for.

A hat factory used to sit there, Henry Heath’s Hat Factory, which was booming business in the 19th Century.

It does not exist anymore, but Henry Heath achieved a significant amount of changes and evolutions in fashion, especially with top hats, an essential accessory to dressed-up outfits at the time.

Beaver fur was used for these hats, both formal and for everyday wear, explaining why these beaver statues have been looking down on Oxford Street for over a century.

Read: The Best 24 Hour Places to Study in London

Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: TK Maxx, Oxford Street

There was really no way I was going to write about the best hidden gems in Oxford Street without mentioning TK Maxx.

A few big TK Maxx are to be found in London, but with Oxford Street’s being the largest, you’re bound to find a discount prop to treat yourself to.

There are amazing candles at TK Maxx as well as lots of skincare and makeup to be snapped as soon as you see them on the racks.

From DW Home candles to Illamasqua lipsticks and even some Tom Ford and Estee Lauder products, TK Maxx has lots in terms of lifestyle.

It’s one of the best places to go shopping in Central London , and seasonal products are always utterly interesting, especially for Christmas gifts.

Read: The Most Unique Shops in London

Best Hidden Gems near Oxford Street: Free People, Regent Street

Another one of the best hidden gem shops on Oxford Street is actually located… in Regent Street.

If you’re into utterly beautiful clothes with character, Free People’s boho style will have you hooked – it has me hooked.

Textures, patterns, vintage elements and flowy silhouettes are all strong features of the Free People clothes.

Although it is a female clothing brand, the Urban Outfitters-owned brand feels like it has something to offer to all genders, at least in terms of edgy accessories.

So if you’re looking for the best shops on Regent Street, Free People definitely is a must-visit.

After, you can pop by the Lavazza coffee shop, one of London’s best Italian cafes , for some well-deserved Italian pastries and succulent coffee.

Read: The Best Things to Do in London Bridge

Bonus: Best Hidden Gems in Oxford Street: St Christopher’s Place & James St

St Christopher’s Place and James Street are both located right off Oxford Street, and are two of the prettiest streets in London .

In St Christopher’s Place, you’ll find amazing jewelry shops like Maya Magal as well as fashion and skincare shops.

James Street is host to some of London’s most instagrammable cafes , and the houses there each boast a different color.

I love finding new colorful places in London , and James Street definitely delivers.

Pink coffee shops , amazing brunch spots and a village feel right off Oxford Street?

Yes, please!

If you’re down to walk a bit more, you won’t regret strolling along James Street towards Marylebone , where you’ll find some utterly pretty mews , too.

Read: The Prettiest Neighborhoods in London

There you have them, all the best hidden gems in Oxford Street to discover when you’re willing to get off the beaten path!

I have always been fascinated by the amount of hidden gems and secret places you can find in London when you allow yourself to get lost.

There are also plenty of cool hidden gems in Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden , London Bridge and Tottenham Court Road, so make sure you check them out too!

Until next time!

Other London Posts

• The Best Hidden Gems in London
• The Most Unusual Places to Visit in London
• The Most Secret Beaches in London
• Why Are There Colorful Streets in London?
• The Most Colorful Streets in Camden
• The Most Colorful Streets in Notting Hill
• The Best Things to Do in Camden Town
• The Cutest Pink Places in London
• The Most Gorgeous Palaces in London
• The Best Places to See Autumn Colors in London

Other London Shopping Posts

• The Best Candle Shops in London
• The Best Budget Shops in London
• The Best Shops for Cheap Makeup in London
• The Best Charity Shops in London
• The Best Charity Shops in Bethnal Green
• The Best Charity Shops in Camden Town
• The Best Charity Shops in Chelsea
• The Best Charity Shops in Kentish Town
• The Best Charity Shops in Muswell Hill
• The Best Charity Shops in North Finchley
• Where To Buy Cheap Yankee Candles

Other London Food Posts

• The Best Vegan Doughnuts in London
• The Best Coffee Shops in Shoreditch
• The Best Coffee Shops in Brixton
• The Best Halal Thai Food in London
• The Best Halal Chinese Food in London
• The Best Halal Italian Food in London
• The Best Halal Indian Food in London
• The Best Halal Steak in London
• The Best Halal Burgers in London
• The Best Halal Pho in London
• The Best Pho in London
• The Best Halal Restaurants in Mayfair
• The Best Halal Restaurants in Covent Garden
• The Best Halal Breakfast in London
• The Best Halal Brunch in London
• The Best Halal Cafes in London
• The Most Instagrammable Restaurants in London

Other Travel Posts

• The Cutest Pink Places in the World
• The Most Colorful Cities in the World
• The Most Colorful Cities in Europe
• The Best Digital Nomad Cities in Europe
• The Best Hidden Gems in Rome
• The Most Magical Gardens in Rome
• The Best Hidden Gems in Barcelona
• The Most Instagrammable Places in Rome
• The Most Instagrammable Places in Paris
• The Most Instagrammable Places in NYC
• The Most Instagrammable Places in Edinburgh
• The Most Instagrammable Places in Istanbul
• The Most Instagrammable Places in Lisbon
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Paris
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Rome
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in NYC
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Edinburgh
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Istanbul
• The Most Instagrammable Cafes in Dubai
• The Prettiest Neighborhoods in Rome
• The Prettiest Neighborhoods in Paris

The Working Line

Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.

• The Working Line https://theworkingline.com/author/theworkingline/ The Curious Traveler's Guide to Multicolor Places in London
• The Working Line https://theworkingline.com/author/theworkingline/ 5 Cute Breakfast Places in East London Off the Beaten Path
• The Working Line https://theworkingline.com/author/theworkingline/ Living in London: 9 Pragmatic Things I've Learned Over the Years
• The Working Line https://theworkingline.com/author/theworkingline/ The Curious Traveler's Guide to Instagrammable Places in London

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Oxford Street

Oxford street ultimate guide.

With over 200 million visitors each year, Oxford Street is the busiest shopping street in Europe, and the most popular shopping destination for tourists and free walking tours in London. And although many of its stores are packed full of high-end, boutique items, you don’t necessarily need to be made out of money to enjoy all that Oxford Street has to offer.

Oxford Street has been one of the main arteries pulsing through the heart of the London’s West End for centuries, and its origins can be dated all the way back to Roman times. The 1.5-mile-long street (stretching from Tottenham Court Road station to the east and Marble Arch station to the west) used to be called Tyburn Road during the Middle Ages, and was the main road leading from London to Oxford, (hence the name).

During its earlier years, the street was lined with independent traders selling wares, but today has expanded to include over 300 retailers ranging from flagship stores, retail chains and designer outlets.

The most famous of Oxford Street’s many stores is none other than the world-renowned Selfridges, which was founded by the American businessman Henry Gordon Selfridge in 1909. With over 10 acres of shopping space which occupy an entire block of Oxford Street, Selfridges is the second largest store in London after Harrods, and has been coined as “an extraordinary temple of the retail business” thanks to its neoclassical columns and jaw-dropping main entrance.

Oxford Street Highlights

No matter what time of the year you visit, Oxford Street is bound to be packed full of locals and tourists rushing through the streets with an armful of shopping bags, but it’s during the Christmas season when the street truly comes to life, as it’s lined with all sorts of Christmas decorations that are lit up at night, which makes for a truly dazzling sight.

Walking from one end of the street to the other, visitors will see stores like Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, House of Fraser and John Lewis, as well as flagship Nike, Adidas, H&M and Topshop stores (which attracts more than 200,000 shoppers every week). And of course, no visit to Oxford Street would be complete without browsing around Selfridges (at 400 Oxford Street), which boasts six floors, 11 places to eat, and over 11,000 pairs of jeans

The bigger department stores tend to be located more between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus, while the smaller department stores or shops selling consumer electronics can be found more towards Tottenham Court Road.

From Oxford Circus to Tottenham Court Road you can find stores like Topshop, American Apparel and Next, and if you walk along the area between Oxford Circus and Bond Street, you will also find some other big-named stores like H&M, Debenhams, Gap, the House of Fraser, and Zara.

From Marble Arch to Bond Street, you’ll see a Marks & Spencer, New Look, Primark, River Island, and Selfridges. Charing Cross Road and Denmark Street to the south-east is home to many stores selling books and musical instruments, while Edgware Road (to the north-west) has more of a focus on electronics.

If you feel like doing some sightseeing during your visit to Oxford Street, Marble Arch (to the west) is a famous London landmark in its own right, and was once a place of public execution from 1388 until 1793. Hyde Park is less than a two-minute walk away from Marble Arch, and you can easily walk to the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, Speakers’ Corner and the Serpentine Lido before your visit to Oxford Street as well.

But Madame Tussauds in London isn’t just a celebrity wax figure museum. The attraction also offers taxi rides through London’s historic tales (called “The Spirit of London”), a Marvel Super Heroes 4D mini-movie experience for children, and even a full bar for adults to enjoy!

Special Tips

Getting there, visiting oxford street.

Be aware that the area is prone to pick-pockets, so always keep an eye on your belongings, especially during the busier periods.

Don’t worry about running out of cash during your visit, as there are a ton of different ATMs and banks scattered all along Oxford Street. You can normally find them in some newsagents and corner shops (although they normally charge for transactions), but there are some near Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road and of course, directly on Oxford Street.

Please note that many shops in the area don’t have toilet facilities, but you will be able to use the toilets at major department stores like at both Marks & Spencer stores (at Marble Arch and Oxford Circus), and on the bottom floor of Topshop.

There’s also many takeaways and cafes along Oxford Street, and a pub called The Tottenham (at 6 Oxford Street); and obviously many different fast food chains like McDonalds and Burger King.

If you’re carrying a large bag with you during your visit to Selfridges, be aware that security personnel may search any of your items before entering. You can leave your shopping bags and coats at the Customer Services Lounge on 4 (which costs £3 per item, unless it’s a Selfridges shopping bag), but you will not be allowed to leave any suitcases, backpacks and holdalls.

Hotels in Oxford Street

Hotels around Oxford Street tend to be quite expensive (as are many of the hotels located in London’s West End), so if you’re on a budget, you may want to choose something further out of the city center, and take public transportation to get to and from Oxford Street.

However, if you’re looking for accommodation in London’s West End so you’re within walking distance to Oxford Street as well as the many theatres, attractions and landmarks in the area, the majority of the hotels near Oxford Street are located around Marble Arch, where you can find many four-star chains and the odd budget hotel. The more expensive hotels tend to be around Mayfair (to the south of Oxford Street) and are some of the most expensive in the city. There’s also a ton of chain boutique hotels scattered all around Oxford Street like the Hyatt Regency, the London Marriott Hotel (Park Lane) and the Sanderson.

If you’re looking to splurge during your hotel to London, the Hotel 41, The Beaumont and the Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences are some of the highly-rated hotels near Oxford Street, but if you want a hotel closer to all the hustle and bustle, No.5 Maddox Street, the quirky Courthouse Hotel and the Langham Hotel are much closer.

If you’re looking for something a little on the quirky side, the fashionable Langham boasts chandeliers, velvet furniture and marble bathtubs, and the oh-so-retro Chiltern Firehouse (its Nuno Mendes restaurant is frequently visited by some London celebrities as well).

Opening Times

You’ll be happy to know that Oxford Street tends to stay open much later than anywhere else in London. Shops along Oxford Street are generally open from:

• Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sundays, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

However, because each shop has different opening and closing times, you may want to check their official website before you visit if you have a specific place in mind.

Selfridges is open from:

• Mondays to Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you just want to go into Selfridges and look around, be aware that you’ll only be allowed to browse between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.

If you want to avoid visiting Oxford Street during the busier periods, then try to go just after the shops open at 9 a.m., and avoid visiting during lunch time (between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.) or between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Saturday tends to be the busiest day of the week, while Sunday is the quietest.

If you plan to visit Oxford Street, you might want to check out the free tours in London that run daily.

Free Tours in Your Language

Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

The best of London for free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Attractions
• Los Angeles

Get us in your inbox

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Oxford Street map

Download our map of Oxford Street plotting all the best shops

Whether you're a seasoned London shopper or about to embark on your first trip to Oxford Street, plan your shopping itinerary with our downloadable map. It highlights the three key stretches of the street, travel information and shops including Selfridges , Topshop , H&M , Primark and Forever 21 . Download the Oxford Street map .

An email you’ll actually love

[image] [title]

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Claim your listing
• Time Out Offers FAQ
• Advertising
• Time Out Market

Time Out products

• Time Out Offers
• Time Out Worldwide

Oxford Street

High street fashion more your style? Head to Oxford Street

Noisy, bustling and full of atmosphere, Oxford Street is one of the most famous streets in London, and with 1.2 miles of shops, it offers unrivalled opportunities for shopping fashion, technology, homeware and more.

• Browse high-quality household goods in John Lewis, a shop that stands apart in terms of superior working conditions and superb customer service.
• Buy cosmetics and bath bombs at Lush, the ethical cosmetic store with super-friendly staff and a wide range of fun and deliciously smelling products.
• Try on the latest fashions at Top Shop: the store on Oxford Street is the UK’s flagship store and features four floors of fashionable apparel for men and women.

What to see and do

Some of the biggest stores in the British capital can be found on Oxford Street and if you are a shopping fan, you will be spoilt for choice. 

House of Fraser, for example, has had a home on Oxford Street since 1945. The number of brands it owns is simply mind-boggling and the possibilities are endless. 

Marks & Spencer is also unmissable, a well-loved British multinational company specializing in the sale of clothing and household items as well as high-end food.

Places to stop and rest for a moment

There is always a need for tranquillity in the midst of London’s hustle and bustle, especially at Oxford Street which surely concentrates much of this excitement.

Brown Hart Gardens

Brown Hart Gardens, for example, is terrace transformed into a garden dating from 1906 and made up of plants, trees, fountains and stone benches perfect for relaxing. It also has a café where you can have a drink. 

Cavendish Square

Cavendish Square is an attractive circular garden with large trees in the shade of which it is ideal to rest for a while, especially in summer. In addition, the different varieties of flowers will leave you speechless. It’s a little oasis in the middle of this hyperactive core of the city.

Popular restaurants on Oxford Street

There are numerous brasseries and restaurant on Oxford Street, from Italian cafes to Chinese restaurants. 

Kintan Japanese BBQ on Oxford Circus is a popular modern place where you can enjoy a cook-your-own Japanese style barbecue as each table has its own mini grill. 

Or you might prefer Pierre Victoire, a French bistro specialising in set and pre-theatre menus, ideal before catching a West End show.

Did you know: (5 interesting facts!)

• Oxford Street was formerly known as Tyburn Road, named after the Tyburn River which now lies buried beneath the streets of London. Tyburn Tree was once the site of public hangings.
• Oxford Street suffered badly from bombs during World War II. John Lewis and Selfridges were among the damaged department stores.
• There is currently only one pub on Oxford Street, the Tottenham at Number 6 Oxford Street. The Grade II listed Victorian building was once known as the ‘Flying Horse’.
• You can find Oxford Street on the classic Monopoly board. Together with Regent Street and Bond Street, they form the dark green set of properties, the second-highest in value in the game after Mayfair and Park Lane.
• There is an urban myth that a mysterious street lies underneath Oxford Street, complete with cobblestones and forgotten shops. It is claimed that this hidden street can be accessed via the cellars and basement of Selfridges amongst others.
• circa AD 50 – the Romans construct the Via Trinobantina which once followed the same path as the current Oxford Street.
• 1729 – the thoroughfare became known as Oxford Street.
• 1810 – Oxford Street is included in the major redevelopment of the area by John Nash who redesigned Regent Street. At this point, the street was mainly residential.
• End of the nineteenth century – some small family-run drapers’ shops and groceries expanded and became the first large department stores in the UK.
• The 1930s – both sides of the street are predominantly commercial nature and it was known as the busiest street in Europe.
• 1931 – horse-drawn vehicles were banned from the street in one of the first attempts to reduce congestion. Traffic lights were introduced at about the same time.
• 1959 – the first year that the street is decorated with Christmas lights. Every year, since then, the lights have been switched on in November by celebrities, apart from 1976 and 1977 when there was an economic recession.

Guide to Oxford Street: Key Facts, History, Architecture and Tourism

About Oxford Street

Oxford Street is bound by the Marble Arch in the east and Tottenham Court Road to the west. It follows the route of a former Roman road that connected Hampshire with Colchester. The River Tyburn runs underneath Oxford Road, with the Grays Antique Centre close to the junction with Bond Street featuring claiming to have an open conduit where part of the stream flows into its basement.

Since the 12th century, Oxford Street has also been known as Tyburn Road, Uxbridge Road, Worcester Road, and Oxford Road. Its current name was adopted in 1729. From the 19th century, Oxford Street became synonymous with shops and London’s retail and fashion sectors. Prior to this, the road was infamous as the final leg for condemned prisoners travelling from Newgate Prison to gallows near Marble Arch. Extensively bombed during the Second World War, Oxford Street was also the target of IRA bombers in the 1970s.

Oxford Street Highlights

Today, flagship stores for some of Britain’s biggest retail names dot Oxford Street, including Debenhams, John Lewis, and House of Fraser. The largest Marks & Spencer store in Britain is also found along Oxford Street at the junction with Orchard Street. Marks & Spencer also operates a branch at the Pantheon, the site of an ornate theatre that originally opened in 1772 and demolished in 1937. HMV also operates the largest music store in Europe at 150 Oxford Street.

Halfway along Oxford Street where the road meets Regent Street is Oxford Circus. Designed by John Nash and built in the 19th century, Oxford Circus today is where you will find a tube station, frenzied shoppers, and a sprawling pedestrian scramble or diagonal crossing, which was added in 2009.

Every year since 1978, Oxford Street has been decorated with Christmas lights during the holiday shopping season. A tradition started in 1959 and interrupted by a recession that began in 1967, the lights have been switched on by celebrities since 1981. Jim Carrey, Charlotte Church, the Spice Girls, the Sugababes, the cast of Coronation Street, and Richard Branson have been some of the famous faces that have officially launched Oxford Street’s busiest shopping period.

Oxford Street’s Impact on the Economy

The fashion industry in Britain contributes over £21 billion each year to the economy, according to the British Fashion Council. The industry also supports approximately 816,000 jobs. Oxford Street alone is home to over 200 British fashion brands. The area employs over 50,000 style experts and educates over 2,000 students in fashion. It also attracts over 100 million visitors each year, who spend £4.9 billion every year along Oxford Street.

Getting to Oxford Street

Whether by public transit, by car, or on foot, Oxford Street is well connected. Bond Street, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road, and Green Park tube stations are found either along or near Oxford Street. The shopping district is also with a short walk from ten of London’s mainline railway stations. Nearly 20 bus routes make their way through Oxford Street, connecting the area with other parts of London, including Notting Hill, Victoria and Paddington stations, Tottenham, and Trafalgar Square.

Thinking of opening a new office in the Oxford Street area? London Office Space has a number of available serviced offices on Oxford Street .

Further guides on important streets in the city of London including Baker Street , Broad Street , Goodge Street , Great Portland Street , Old Street , Cannon Street and Regents Street .

• London Street Guide
• Oxford Street Guide

One thought on “ Guide to Oxford Street: Key Facts, History, Architecture and Tourism ”

I love oxford street

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Traveling Pari

Travel Canada and Beyond

Where To Shop In London: 10 Best Shopping Areas for Tourists and Fashionistas

London is one of the top cities in the world. When it comes to shopping, whether you are a fashionista looking for the latest trending fashion, a tourist shopping for souvenirs, an antiques collector looking to add to his or her collection, London has something for everyone! These are my top 10 picks for the best shopping in London, specially for a tourist/ first time visitors.

1. Oxford Street

Where is Oxford Street?

Services for visitors to London

Tax free services at Selfridges, souvenir shops, banks such as Santander, Llyods where you can exchange currency, famous hotels such as Claridge’s and London Mariott Grosvenor Square London. within walking distance.

What to buy at Oxford Street?

Shop for luxury clothes, shoes, watches and bags at Selfridges, John Lewis and House of Fraser. You can also shop London high street brands such as Next, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and many others at Oxford street.

Where is Harrods?

Tax-free shopping, Travel shop for custom itineraries of London, Bureau de Change, Qatar Airways Counter, Harrods souvenirs

What to buy at Harrods?

3. regent street.

Where is Regent Street?

What to buy at Regent Street?

• Buy Iphone accessories at the Apple store
• Kids toys at Hamleys
• Exclusive designer bags, shoes and clothes at Coach, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors.

4. Westfield Shopping Centre

Where is Westfield Shopping Centre?

Westfield also has another shopping centre at Stratford. The closest train station to this shopping centre is Stratford station on the London overground and Tfl Rail.

Services for Visitors to London

Tax-free shopping, Taxi Lounge, In-Centre Red Car- chauffer driven experience inside the shopping centre, cloak room where you can leave your luggage, coats and shopping bags so that you can shop in comfort.

What to buy at Westfield London

Westfield has some popular UK brands such as Miss Selfridge, Monsoon, Missguided, Dorothy Perkins and others.

5. Old and New Bond Street

The Old Bond Street and the New Bond street commonly known as Bond Street connects Piccadilly to Oxford Street. This street, especially the Old Bond Street, has many high-end designer shops like Prada, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton and others.

Where is Bond Street?

What to buy at Bond Street?

Buy haute couture from high end designer shops like Prada, Bvlgari, Louis Vuitton etc.

6. Carnaby Street

Where is Carnaby Street?

What to buy at Carnaby Street?

7. burlington arcade.

Where is Burlington Arcade?

What to buy at Burlington Arcade?

Buy vintage pre-owned rare Rolex watches at The Vintage Watch Company or vintage jewels at Richard Ogden Ltd.

8. Camden Market

Camden market is not a typical tourist go-to for shopping. I would suggest you visit Camden only if you are looking for off-beat shopping locations. The market has a food market which has food stalls from around the world.

Where is Camden market?

What to buy at Camden Market?

Camden Market is a youth focused market selling cheap clothes, jewellery and other knickknacks. If you want to buy t-shirts for casual wear, London souvenirs, then this is the ideal place to shop.

9. Portobello Market at Notting Hill

Where is Portobello Market?

What to buy at Portobello Market

10. covent garden.

Where is Convent Garden?

What to buy at Covent Garden?

Buy luxury bags at Mulberry, ballet flat shoes at French Sole, Swiss watches at Bucherer or some sunglasses at Ray Ban. There are also some second-hand book stores on Covent Garden which is fun exploring.

Love this Post? Share it on social media and comment.

Affiliate Links

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Recommended Articles

Tokyo To Kumano Kodo – Kumano Nachi Taisha

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto: A Better Route To Get There

7 reasons why ICONSIAM is THE best shopping mall in Bangkok

My Maid Cafe Experience In Akihabara, Tokyo

• Work with us
• Favorite travel blogs
• netherlands
• switzerland
• family travel
• food and wine
• trip planning resources
• accommodation guides
• travel gear guides
• itineraries
• packing guides
• travel gifts
• health and safety

Tips for shopping in London – Oxford Street and Regent Street area

This article may contain compensated links. See our full disclosure here

Heading to London for a shopping spree? Shopping on Oxford Street is a rite of passage for many visitors to London. Home to the flagship stores of many of the world’s largest brands, the choice on offer is amazing but can also be incredibly daunting.

Here are 5 tips for making the most of your day shopping in London in the area around Oxford Street.

Tip 1 – Plan your Oxford Street shopping mission

Know what stores you want to visit and plan a route accordingly. Your feet will thank you for this.

I suggest starting at Selfridges and working your way towards Oxford Circus where you will find the flagship stores for Top Shop and H&M .

Once you have exhausted all of the fast fashion options head to Liberty of London for a truly British shopping experience. You might even find the perfect scarf at Liberty .

Then walk down Regent Street where you will find American brands such as JCrew and Anthropologie as well as British and European stalwarts. I always love stopping by

Tip 2 –  Arrive early

Some stores open at 9.30 and most are open by 10. They are virtually empty before midday when things become a bit testy for those of us not keen on crowds.

If you are ok with waiting for changing rooms, assistance with sizes and to pay for your goods then go right ahead and shop in the afternoon.

Tip 3 – Grab a bargain

A little bit of forward planning can save you some serious cash. If you know what stores you want to visit sign up for their email offers as there are usually discount offers available throughout the year.

Britain has a hefty VAT of 20% on goods and services. Visitors from outside the EU can often claim this back if they are prepared to do the paperwork – more info on this process here .

Tip 4 – Take a break

Have a lovely afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason  or lunch at one of the many cafe and restaurant options at Selfridges to break up your day.

If you feel like a culture break you could head to the lovely Wallace Collection just behind Selfridges on Manchester Square where there is also a wonderful cafe.

Tip 5 – Order online

If it all gets too much or you have too much ground to cover in a limited amount of time you can pre-order online from most brands and they will deliver to a store near you within days.

British returns policies are very flexible – more like the US than in Australia. Returning unsuitable items is generally not a problem. So if the item doesn’t work for whatever reason you can simply pop back the next day and get a refund.

Have fun shopping! If you need to refuel while out and about read my take on quick and tasty  eating options in central London .

Shopping for something a little out of the ordinary? Read this post on London stores where you can find interesting fashion in London or this post discusses the best places to find gifts and books .

Disclaimer –  Untold Morsels assists our readers with carefully chosen product and services recommendations that help make travel easier and more fun. If you click through and make a purchase on many of these items we may earn a commission. All opinions are our own – please read our  disclosure  page for more information.

The creator, writer and photographer behind Untold Morsels , Katy has been travelling and tasting the world since she was a teenager.

Now the proud mum of twins, she hopes they grow up to share her passions of great food, wine and travel. Favourite destination: Italy

• London Tourism
• London Hotels
• Bed and Breakfast London
• London Holiday Rentals
• Flights to London
• London Restaurants
• London Attractions
• London Travel Forum
• London Photos
• All London Hotels
• London Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in London
• London Campsites
• London Hostels
• Business Hotels London
• Family Hotels London
• London Green Hotels
• Romantic Hotels in London
• Luxury Hotels in London
• Spa Hotels in London
• Casinos in London
• London Resorts
• 5-stars Hotels in London
• 4-stars Hotels in London
• 3-stars Hotels in London
• Yotel Hotels in London
• The Leading Hotels Of The World in London
• Staycity Hotels in London
• Residence Inns (Marriott Bonvoy) in London
• Fraser Place Hotels in London
• Curio Collection by Hilton Hotels in London
• Preferred Hotels & Resorts in London
• SACO Hotels in London
• Hampton by Hilton Hotels in London
• Ibis Styles Hotels in London
• The Montcalm Hotels in London
• Holiday Inns in London
• London Hotels with a Pool
• Pet Friendly Hotels in London
• London Hotels with Parking
• Bloomsbury Hotels
• South Kensington Hotels
• East End / East London Hotels
• City of London Hotels
• Earls Court Hotels
• Docklands / Canary Wharf / Isle of Dogs Hotels
• Euston / Kings Cross /St Pancras Hotels
• Southwark Hotels
• Islington Hotels
• Westminster Hotels
• Apartment Hotels London
• Hotels with Hot Tubs in London
• Luxury Spa Hotels London
• Cheap Hostels in London
• Discount Hotels in London
• Hotels with Balconies in London
• Cool & Unique Hotels London
• Wedding Hotels London
• Boutique Bed and Breakfast London
• Cheap Bed and Breakfast London
• Hotels near London Eye
• Hotels near The British Museum
• Hotels near Tower of London
• Hotels near London Underground
• Hotels near National Gallery
• Hotels near Tower Bridge
• Hotels near Natural History Museum
• Hotels near V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum
• Hotels near Madame Tussauds London
• Hotels near Big Ben
• Hotels near (LHR) Heathrow Airport
• Hotels near (LCY) London City Airport
• Hotels near (LTN) Luton Airport
• Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa
• Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria
• H10 Timanfaya Palace
• Rixos Sungate
• St. George Beach Hotel & Spa Resort
• 3HB Guarana
• Beach Resort Milatos Crete
• Granada Luxury Belek
• Sandos Papagayo
• Club Cala Romani
• Alua Suites Fuerteventura
• Iberostar Las Dalias
• Holiday Village Majorca - Protur Monte Safari
• Bahia Principe Fantasia Tenerife
• H10 Rubicon Palace
• Popular All-Inclusive Resorts
• Popular Beach Resorts
• Popular Family Resorts
• Popular All-Inclusive Hotels
• Popular Hotels With Waterparks
• Popular Honeymoon Resorts
• Popular Luxury Resorts
• Popular All-Inclusive Family Resorts
• Popular Golf Resorts
• Popular Spa Resorts
• Popular Cheap Resorts
• All things to do in London
• Things to do near London City Airport
• Things to do near Victoria Station
• Things to do near University College London
• Things to do near King's College London
• Things to do near University of Westminster
• Things to do near City University London
• Things to do near Central Saint Martins
• Things to do near University of Greenwich
• Things to do near Escape Hunt London Oxford Street
• Tower of London
• Tower Bridge
• Churchill War Rooms
• National Gallery
• The British Museum
• The Steam Dreams Rail Co.
• Westminster Abbey
• V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Natural History Museum
• Borough Market
• Up at The O2
• St. James's Park
• Covent Garden
• Sightseeing Tours in London
• Walking Tours in London
• Speed Boats Tours in London
• Shark Diving in London
• Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing in London
• Swim with Dolphins in London
• Coffee & Tea Tours in London
• Balloon Rides in London
• Fishing Charters & Tours in London
• Running Tours in London
• Archaeology Tours in London
• Ghost & Vampire Tours in London
• Vespa, Scooter & Moped Tours in London
• Bar, Club & Pub Tours in London
• Day Trips in London
• Bars & Clubs in London
• Blues Clubs & Bars in London
• Cigar Bars in London
• Country & Western Bars in London
• Gay Clubs & Bars in London
• Jazz Clubs & Bars in London
• Karaoke Bars in London
• Piano Bars in London
• Comedy Clubs in London
• Dance Clubs & Discos in London
• Coffee Shops in London
• Wine Bars in London
• Art Galleries in London
• Antique Stores in London
• Department Stores in London
• Factory Outlets in London
• Flea & Street Markets in London
• Shopping Malls in London
• Gift & Speciality Shops in London
• Farmers Markets in London
• Fashion Shows & Tours in London
• Shopping Tours in London
• Airport Shops in London
• Ancient Ruins in London
• Architectural Buildings in London
• Castles in London
• Cemeteries in London
• Sacred & Religious Sites in London
• Educational sites in London
• Mysterious Sites in London
• Missions in London
• Monuments & Statues in London
• Neighbourhoods in London
• Observation Decks & Towers in London
• Piers & Boardwalks in London
• Arenas & Stadiums in London
• Lookouts in London
• Universities & Schools in London
• Spas in London
• Health/Fitness Clubs & Gyms in London
• Onsen Resorts in London
• Hammams & Turkish Baths in London
• Thermal Spas in London
• Yoga & Pilates in London
• Hair & Nail Salons in London
• Tramways in London
• Ferries in London
• Mass Transportation Systems in London
• Taxis & Shuttles in London
• Bus Transportation in London
• Railways in London
• Playgrounds in London
• Movie Theatres in London
• Game & Entertainment Centres in London
• Dog Tracks in London
• Horse Tracks in London
• Sports Complexes in London
• Room Escape Games in London
• Scavenger Hunts in London
• Shooting Ranges in London
• Wedding Chapels in London
• Mini Golf in London
• Paint & Pottery Studios in London
• Character Experiences in London
• Sports Camps & Clinics in London
• Lessons & Workshops in London
• Cooking Classes in London
• Performances in London
• Ballets in London
• Concerts in London
• Operas in London
• Symphonies in London
• Theatres in London
• Dinner Theatres in London
• Cabarets in London
• Golf Courses in London
• Equestrian Trails in London
• Hiking Trails in London
• Equipment Hire in London
• Boat Hire in London
• Kayaking & Canoeing in London
• Climbing Tours in London
• Nature & Wildlife Tours in London
• Wineries & Vineyards in London
• Breweries in London
• Distilleries in London
• Beer Tastings & Tours in London
• Food Tours in London
• Wine Tours & Tastings in London
• Other Food & Drink in London
• Distillery Tours in London
• Art Museums in London
• Children's Museums in London
• History Museums in London
• Military Museums in London
• Natural History Museums in London
• Science Museums in London
• Observatories & Planetariums in London
• Speciality Museums in London
• Dams in London
• Canyons in London
• Forests in London
• Gardens in London
• Geologic Formations in London
• Nature & Wildlife Areas in London
• Parks in London
• State Parks in London
• Biking Trails in London
• Aquariums in London
• Zoos in London
• Bodies of Water in London
• Boat Tours in London
• Water Sports in London
• Dolphin & Whale Watching in London
• Parasailing & Paragliding in London
• Scuba & Snorkeling in London
• Submarine Tours in London
• Waterskiing & Jetskiing in London
• Duck Tours in London
• Conference & Convention Centres in London
• Libraries in London
• Visitor Centres in London
• Airport Lounges in London
• Things to do near Sanderson London Hotel
• Things to do near Charlotte Street Hotel
• Things to do near The Rathbone Hotel Fitrovia
• Gavin and Stacey TV Locations Tour of Barry Island
• From Albir, Altea, Benidorm & Calpe: Guadalest & Algar Excursion
• Swim in Chocholow Thermal Baths with an Optional Zakopane Visit
• Underground Vaults Walking Tour in Edinburgh Old Town
• Giant’s Causeway Day Trip from Belfast
• Haugesund Shore Excursion: Akrafjorden & Langfoss waterfall
• Windsor Castle Admission Ticket
• Full-Day Mostar and Kravice Waterfalls from Dubrovnik
• Birmingham Airport Lounge - Clubrooms
• PSG Experience - Stadium Tour Parc des Princes
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• The Blue Lagoon
• Thorpe Park
• Cap d’Agde Naturist Village
• Bosworth Water Park
• West Wittering Beach
• Chessington World of Adventures Resort
• The Ice Cream Farm
• Gorleston-on-Sea Beach
• GreenLeaders
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

THE 10 BEST Things to Do Near Oxford Street

• Europe    
• United Kingdom (UK)    
• England    
• London    
• Things to do in London    
• Things to do near Oxford Street

Things to Do near Oxford Street

Trusted reviews and ratings, free 24-hour cancellation, low-price guarantee.

• Tower of London: Entry Ticket, Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour
• Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London
• Big Bus London Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and River Cruise
• Jack the Ripper Tour with 'Ripper-Vision' in London
• Westminster to Greenwich Sightseeing Thames Cruise in London
• (0.02 mi) Benetton London
• (0.11 mi) House of MinaLima
• (0.09 mi) Whittard of Chelsea Oxford Street
• (0.09 mi) Sokollab London
• (0.07 mi) Yamaha Music London
• Gift & Speciality Shops
• Bars & Clubs
• Performances
• Art Galleries
• Discover over 1,000 restaurants near Oxford Street
• Discover over 1,000 hotels near Oxford Street

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Top of the shops: how has Oxford Street survived the slow death of the high street?

It was the birthplace of the modern retail experience and is still one of the world’s most famous shopping destinations. But why, in an age of online retail, do shoppers still flock to it?

H arry Gordon Selfridge was out to win. The year was 1909 and the US retail magnate was opening his new store in London’s Oxford Street. His rival was the terracotta monolith of Harrods in Knightsbridge. The latter had just opened complete with an escalator, which so terrified customers that staff had to offer them glasses of brandy as they stumbled off it.

Selfridge’s answer was a facade like a Roman temple and an exhibition of the plane in which Louis Blériot had just crossed the Channel. In doing so, Selfridge also invented what is now called the retail experience, “shopping for pleasure not necessity”. He offered his largely female customers a library, a writing and “silent room”, a mini-golf course, a rooftop exercise terrace and a “girls-only gun club”. He also hosted the world’s first television show , by John Logie Baird in 1925. Oxford Street never looked back; it was now high street to the nation.

Today, however, it is in trouble. The great names have mostly gone. BHS is closed. John Lewis is retrenching. Debenhams went into administration in April 2019 and House of Fraser (which, as DH Evans, has had a presence on the street since 1879) is at the mercy of Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. Selfridges survives in the ownership of the Weston family, but as an upmarket mall of other brands, which dust themselves in its glory. The street as a whole still boasts 300 shops, but it faces assaults from online shopping and crippling business rates. In my youth, I lived in a flat opposite Selfridges, and can still hardly imagine the downfall of my mighty hero.

A scholarly enterprise, the Survey of London has toiled in these parts since 1894. Mostly it records London’s parish buildings, but this year it has devoted volume 53 to a single thoroughfare – Oxford Street . It traces the story from Roman times to today. It has the aura of an obituary.

Oxford Street came slowly to glamour. It began as a muddy track linking London to Roman Watling Street, now Edgware Road. It was noted chiefly as the route along which convicts were taken from the Old Bailey to the gallows at Tyburn, later Marble Arch. Their fate was eased by the cart stopping at every pub along the way, where they and their friends got so drunk they hardly noticed being hanged.

By the 1780s, the gallows had gone. Oxford Street’s Georgian houses had begun to service the smart estates that had been established to the south and north, across Mayfair and Marylebone, those of Grosvenor, Portman, Hanover and Cavendish squares. The street’s eastern arm served Soho and what is now Fitzrovia.

By the early 1800s, there were 92 shops on Oxford Street, a third of them selling clothes and patronised almost exclusively by “unaccompanied” women. Known as the Ladies’ Mile, it was an early champion of women’s economic emancipation. Jane Austen, on her visits to London, was an early addict, once confessing to spending £5 in one go – roughly £500 today.

A German visitor in 1784, Sophie von La Roche, was equally enthralled. She wrote home to explain how she had walked “for half an hour past brilliantly illuminated windows, with pavements of people standing six deep”. She noted “the highest lord and humblest labourer … both receiving equally rapid and courteous attention.” There was nothing like it in Frankfurt.

As the shops grew in size, they found they had to accommodate their own staff, usually in crowded upper floors. One 19th-century department store, Marshall & Snelgrove, housed 250 shop girls who, after work, enlivened the pavements and pubs. Congestion became intense. Entertainment venues sprang up, with bands, concerts and travelling shows, one boasting the “fattest woman and smallest man on Earth”. When trams came to London in 1860, the shop owners made sure they would not run in Oxford Street, fearing that the loss of footfall would mean customers would stop crowding at their windows. A few years later, the tube was opposed for the same reason. When the Central line arrived in 1900, its four Oxford Street stations had to be located closer than those on any other network. The Central line became Oxford Street’s river of gold.

From the initial free-for-all emerged the “department store” partnerships that dominated the west end in the first half of the 20th century – and were still there in the 1960s. They were the emporiums of Marshall & Snelgrove, Bourne & Hollingsworth, Waring & Gillow, Swears & Wells, Lilley & Skinner and Peter Robinson. The upper-crust Debenham & Freebody turned its back on the street and opened a store 100m north in Wigmore Street. Its facade still stands like a stern Victorian aunt opposite Wigmore Hall. Curiously, all the big stores were on the smart north side of the street, allegedly to catch the sun. Those on the south side were smaller and cheaper – still being described in the 1880s as “rickety, tumble-down shanties”.

A few places were clothes-free. At first there was the Princess’s theatre, the Pantheon assembly room, a skating rink and somewhere Thomas de Quincy bought opium, not to mention prostitutes. There was Purdeys for guns, Bumpus for books, Morris & Co for wallpaper, Duveen for pictures. Shoes became an Oxford Street speciality, with 27 shoe shops at the peak, including True Form, Dolcis, Saxone and Bata. Originally, there was almost nowhere to eat, as ladies on “shopping expeditions” were assumed to prefer hotels. Fast food came from street vendors. That changed with the advent of the day tripper, bringing 10 Lyons corner houses by 1910.

Between the wars, Oxford Street began to suffer competition from Bond Street and then the rebuilt Regent Street, beginning what became a steady drift downmarket. Marks & Spencer, Woolworths and C&A took up the baton. The survey records them as supplying “ladies of the middle classes with goods of general utility for that exuberant pair, Mr and Mrs Everybody”. Harrods would have sniffed.

The crowds were awesome. One newspaper described “agitated spinsters holding hands while trying to cross the road”, while the writer Ivor Brown detected the “aroma of perspiration”. Wigmore Street behind was mercifully “disinfected by its many chemists”.

In the 1930s, Selfridge took to gambling and sold up, but his creation never lost its panache. It was Oxford Street’s talisman of quality and innovation. I remember the horror that greeted its first food offerings. The apex of fashion had become a grocer. It even boasted a bakery. In the event, food did not drive Selfridges downmarket; rather, Selfridges took food upmarket.

Like much of central London, Oxford Street in the 1960s came close to disaster. Its crowded pavements, dirt, noise and the shabbiness of its south-side shops offended the sensibility of clean-living modernist planners. One of them, Colin Buchanan, dismissed it as “the most uncivilised street in Europe”, which he was determined to correct. The street should be decked and pedestrians forced on to podiums while the traffic flowed freely beneath, he said.

London’s county council and Westminster’s city council produced one plan after another for taming Oxford Street. Most involved total rebuilding and decks. There were proposals to run minicars on air cushions down the centre, and for a fly-over at Oxford Circus. One fragment that did get built was a block designed by the LCC for the London College of Fashion, backing on to Cavendish Square. It still displays its podium, awaiting its deck.

The shops were strong enough to fight against this nonsense. But they could not stop the catastrophe that hit Oxford Street’s east end – its problem quarter at Tottenham Court Road. New Oxford Street had been pushed through the St Giles slum in 1847, and was linked by the Edwardians to Kingsway further east. It was instantly London’s most characterless neighbourhood.

This was followed, in 1963, by a secret deal between the LCC and the architect Richard Seifert to demolish most of old St Giles for a large traffic roundabout at the top of Charing Cross Road. Seifert agreed to build it, only if he was allowed to break height restrictions with an unprecedented London tower, Centre Point. The roundabout was never used and the tower was left unoccupied, although its owner, the property developer Harry Hyams, walked away with a £11m profit.

The scheme’s decks, concrete walls and dirty fountains formed an impenetrable barrier between Soho and Bloomsbury, a planning fiasco that stood for half a century. Westminster council is currently trying to rectify the Centre Point disaster. It is erecting two huge buildings at the top of Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road, allied to a new Crossrail station and a £150m square. It is hard to believe it will be an advance on St Giles piazza.

Oxford Street has never had a true friend. It has never been pedestrianised, and is still clogged with half-empty buses, echoes of the horse-drawn ones that London Transport had the courage to reroute. As the street went downmarket in the 60s and 70s, it was written off. Its Christmas decorations are commercial tat, as are many of its tourist shops. In 1985, a Times editorial asked: “Why is Oxford Street such a visual mess?” Even the Survey of London’s Andrew Saint calls it “widely disliked, even disdained”.

Yet for all that, Saint admits “Oxford Street flourishes … indeed is a howling success”. It may not have seen off Harrods, but it has outlasted such historical west end rivals as Holborn (Gamages), Victoria (Army & Navy Stores), the Strand (Civil Service Supply Association), Kensington High Street (Derry & Toms) and Queensway (Whiteleys). Two hundred million shoppers still crowd its streets every year, despite its battered facades sheltering the same shops as any other high street; Next, Gap and H&M.

So how has Oxford Street bucked the national trend of our dying high streets and the giant shopping centres outside city centres? The street’s worldwide reputation, of course, means it is as much a tourist destination as a shopping street, while the range of shops in such close proximity makes it more like a linear mall than your average high street. Moreover, it learned its lesson in the 18th century, so it understands the retail experience and still has fashion shows, music, gyms, vegan cafes and calls to “detox the body and soul”.

Long blessed with the Central line, Oxford Street is also blessed by a government inexplicably eager to attract ever more people into central London. It will get two Crossrail stations, bringing it a forecasted 90 million more shoppers. Birmingham and Manchester can eat their hearts out.

Of equal importance is that Oxford Street has the right hinterland, one of the most attractive commercial communities in Europe. Studies by the architects Arup show that Marylebone, Soho and Fitzrovia contain the most intensive economic activity outside the City of London and Canary Wharf. It is not housed in towers, but in old workshops, warehouses, alleys and courtyards. Here lurk boutiques, clubs, galleries, studios, musicians and ethnic food outlets of the creative urban economy. Just as digital startups have flourished in scruffy Shoreditch, so in the streets off Oxford Street have developed two of the most advanced tech industries, Soho’s film post-production and Marylebone’s diagnostic medicine.

Oxford Street is thus “front of house” to the most marked feature of London’s success – that it blossoms amid traditional informality. For shopping, the new city spenders go to Covent Garden and Westbourne Grove, King’s Road and Marylebone High Street, Portobello Road and Borough Market. They hate hard edges. They seek reassurance, comfort and surprise – just what Centre Point will not give them.

For all its ugliness, Oxford Street’s longevity is astonishing. Generations of planners have tried to bludgeon it into respectability. It has defied them all. The street may have lost its looks, drifting from style and fashion to tackiness and bling. It is really just another high street. But it has survival in its genes. It will outlive us all.

Survey of London Vol 53: Oxford Street , by Andrew Saint, will be published in April by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (£75). Simon Jenkins’s A Short History of London (Penguin, £9.99) appears in paperback in July

• Shops and shopping
• Retail industry
• History books

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

Getting Here

Oxford Street is located in the heart of London’s West End, providing visitors and shoppers with easy access from the city’s main underground lines.

Oxford Circus: operating the Central Line, Victoria Line and Bakerloo Line

Bond Street: Operating the Central Line, Jubilee Line and Elizabeth Line (from September 2022)

Marble Arch: Operating the Central Line

Tottenham Court Road: Operating the Central Line, Northern Line and Elizabeth Line

The London Underground now operates a 24HR service on the Central and Victoria line on Fridays and Saturdays.

For news, updates, travel tips, ticket information and planned works and service changes, visit the official site for London Underground .

There are plenty of bus routes to Oxford Street: 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, 23, 25, 73, 88, 94, 98, 113, 137, 139 & 159.

For detailed bus information or to plan your route, contact London Travel Information’s 24 hour information line on 020 7222 1234 or visit the dedicated London Buses website .

For free transport guides and bus time tables, call 020 7371 0247.

Whether you’re cycling on your own bike or using the Santander Cycles to ride around the city, Oxford Street has plenty of bicycle stands and cycle pick up and drop off points.

Find out more about the Santander Cycles here , or plan your cycle route with TfL Cycling Journey Planner here .

Or why not use BIKE-DROP Oxford Street?  Book your PASS today and let their CREW valet park your RIDE and take the hassle and worry away from you while you enjoy the day!

To search for nearby bike parking options you can also use TfL’s on street parking space locator here.

Oxford Street has partnered with Q Parks to offer shoppers 25% off parking. To avail of this discount please use the code WESTEND when at a physical pay station or when prebooking online .

Participating Q-Park car parks include:

Oxford Street Q-Park , Cavendish Square, W1G 0PR

Harley St Q-Park , Queen Anne Mews, W1G 9HF

Marble Arch Q-Park , Cumberland Gate, W2 2ET

Park Lane Q-Park , Park Lane, W1K 7AN

Other Car parking Facilities:

The Selfridges car park is at the rear of the store. Access is via Edwards Mews, off Orchard Street (Sat Nav: W1H 6HL). Open Monday to Saturday 7am–10pm, Sunday 11.30am–7pm.

Indigo Car Park operates the The Mayfair Car Park on Park Lane. Book online and enter the promotional code WEEKEND and you will be entitled to discounted parking of £12 all day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Park and Display Information For Park and Display information please visit Westminster City Council’s website . *All parking pay points throughout Westminster accept credit cards.

Superdry landlord M&G eyes challenge to rescue plan

The owner of Superdry's flagship Oxford Street store has drafted in lawyers to scrutinise proposals aimed at keeping the fashion chain afloat, Sky News learns.

City editor @MarkKleinmanSky

Friday 26 April 2024 15:52, UK

The owner of Superdry's flagship store in central London is weighing a challenge to a rescue plan that would impose steep haircuts on the struggling chain's landlords.

Sky News has learnt that M&G, the London-listed asset manager, has engaged lawyers from Hogan Lovells to scrutinise a restructuring plan launched by Superdry earlier this month.

The move by M&G, which owns the fashion retailer's 32,000 square foot Oxford Street store, will not necessarily result in a formal legal challenge.

However, property industry sources said on Friday that such a move was a possibility.

Other Superdry landlords, including Landsec, are understood to be monitoring the situation ahead of the disclosure of detailed proposals next month.

The property groups are believed to have been alarmed by the absence of their participation in a mechanism to allow creditors to benefit from any future recovery in the retailer's performance.

The restructuring plan will not entail immediate shop closures but will impose sizeable rent cuts on landlords of dozens of Superdry outlets.

In a statement, a spokesman for the retailer said: "The Restructuring Plan is a process designed to secure the long-term future of our business.

"We hope our landlords will support us as we embark on putting in place our new target operating model."

M&G declined to comment.

Read more from business: British cars flow into states neighbouring Russia Trade war brewing over electric cars NatWest profits fall

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Alongside the rent cuts, Superdry plans to raise funding underwritten by founder Julian Dunkerton and delist from the London Stock Exchange.

The Cheltenham-headquartered company's survival bid, which will require the approval of its creditors, has been launched after weeks of talks about a takeover by Julian Dunkerton, its founder, were aborted.

Shares in Superdry have been under relentless pressure in recent months as the scale of its financial challenges has been exposed.

On Friday, they were trading at around 7.4p, giving the indebted company a market capitalisation of less than £8m.

It recently agreed increased borrowing capacity with Hilco Capital, one of its existing lenders, while it also owes tens of millions of pounds to Bantry Bay.

Mr Dunkerton, who in 2019 returned to the company having previously been ousted, owns just under 30% of the shares.

In recent months, Superdry has raised cash by offloading its brand in regions including India and Asia-Pacific.

Related Topics