Oxford Street & Regent Street
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Regent Street - by Ichigo121212 from Pixabay
Description
Oxford Street is Europe's busiest shopping street with approximately 300 stores. It runs east to west from Marble Arch until Tottenham Court Road and houses several big retailer flagship stores. The road actually dates back to the Roman period but only converted to commercial use towards the end of the 19th century - it is now well known for its heavy traffic (road and pedestrian) and its Christmas lighting. Regent Street is another major street that intersects Oxford Street at Oxford Circus and runs north to south from Regent's Park until Piccadilly Circus. It was laid out (curving to avoid St James's Square whilst maintaining visual continuity) under the direction of John Nash and James Burton and was an early example of town planning in England. Its main owner is the Crown Estate and, like Oxford Street, it houses several flagship stores as well as the University of Westminster. The Street has also fantastic Christmas lighting.
Access & Transport
It doesn't get any easier than that: the Central line runs below Oxford Street with 4 stations (Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road) and the Jubilee line also stops at Bond Street. Regent Street is tracked by the Bakerloo line with 3 stops (Regent's Park, Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus). In addition, there are plenty of bus services. This is one of the most congested area in the city, so driving is possible but not advisable.
Instructions & Recommendations
We would recommend walking the Regent Street section between Piccadilly and Oxford Circus as the buildings design and architecture are quite beautiful. From there the choice is yours: west and then back south into Soho, north until Regent's Park or east towards Marble Arch with the option to head into Marylebone (northwest) or Mayfair (southwest). Better check your map.
Environmental & Social
It is an urban and commercial environment with relatively high electricity consumption Slightly negative from a social perspective because of the heavy focus on commercial activities driven by big brands, chains and advertising.
Conclusion
Regent Street is clearly worth a look, even if you do not feel like shopping - from there you can wander into Soho or upmarket Mayfair. Oxford Circus however is clearly a must-go place for shoppers or urban explorers who want to see all sides of the city but will hold little appeal for others. The thing is that they are both so central that you will probably end up there whether you were planning it or not.
Key positive
Very central and easy to get to
Great shopping area
Superb Christmas lightings
Key negative
Oxford Street is very congested with traffic
Not much to see outside of shops
Suitability
Suitable for all ages but limited interest for kids unless you are shopping for them. Pavements are fairly even, and most shops are accessible for visitors with mobility issues.
About this Rating
TYPE
Onsite
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:1h 30m
Sunrise / early morningNo
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo