Information AboutOxford Street |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT OXFORD STREET | |
| shopping streets in london | |
| streets in westminster | |
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in the background]] Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in London , England in the City Of Westminster . With over 300 shops, it is Europe's largest shopping street.1 It runs for approximately a mile and a half from Marble Arch at the north east corner of Hyde Park , through Oxford Circus to St Giles' Circus , at the intersection with Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road . Eastwards, the road then becomes New Oxford Street until it runs into High Holborn. West of Marble Arch, Oxford Street becomes Bayswater Road or the A40 which continues west towards Oxford . Oxford Street intersects with other London roads including Park Lane , New Bond Street and Regent Street . HISTORY ]] The street follows the route of a Roman road which linked Hampshire with Colchester and became one of the major routes in and out of the city. Between the 12th century and to the gallows at Tyburn near Marble Arch. In the late 18th century, many of the surrounding fields were purchased by the Earl Of Oxford , and the area was developed. It became popular with entertainers including tiger-baiters and masquerades, and for entertainment buildings such as the Pantheon . During the 19th century, the area became known for its shops. Oxford Street is a square on the British Monopoly board. It is part of the green set together with Regent Street and Bond Street . OXFORD STREET TODAY on Oxford Street]] Oxford Street is home to major department stores and numerous brands' flagship stores, as well as hundreds of smaller shops. It is the major shopping street in central London, though not the most expensive or fashionable, and part of a larger shopping district with Regent Street , Bond Street and other smaller nearby streets. The other principal shopping area in central London is Knightsbridge , famous for Harrods department store. For many British chain stores, their Oxford Street branch is regarded as their 'flagship' store and used for celebrity launches and promotions. Major stores include:
Oxford Street can become congested both on the footpath and on the road due to the number of buses which use the street and the high number of shoppers and tourists on the street. Common sights on Oxford Street include Preachers (such as Philip Howard who was at Oxford Circus), political demonstrations (such as the 2001 May Day protests and small scale protests) and Hare Krishna s. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS Each Christmas the street is decorated with festive lights. In mid-to-late November a celebrity turns on the lights and they remain on until January 6 . The use of Christmas lights began in 1959, five years after its neighbour Regent Street had begun the tradition. In 1967, as the recession hit London, the lights were stopped and only returned in 1978 when Oxford Street organised a laser display. Celebrities who turned on the Christmas lights
To find out who will be turning on the Christmas lights this year contact the organisers, the New West End Company {Link without Title} . TRANSPORT Oxford Street is served by the Central , Jubilee , Bakerloo , Northern and Victoria London Underground lines, as well as bus routes. Tube stations along Oxford Street, starting at Marble Arch (western-most): Heavy congestion has led to proposals to pedestrianise Oxford Street with a tram service running end to end {Link without Title} . Current plans for Crossrail also include two stations serving Oxford Street at Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road2 REFERENCES
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