Oxford Street is Europe’s busiest shopping high street. Running from Marble Arch to the beginning of Tottenham Court Road, it can at the best of times be extremely crowded and overwhelming. However, spanning a distance of one and a half miles, it is retail heaven. Despite the opening of two major malls in East and West London, thousands continue to pack the shops day in and day out.
All of Oxford Street is made up of chain stores, there are no one-off boutiques here but you will find the flagship stores of all the big high street players here.
For those with cash to spend, the historic Selfridges department store, which sits in between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus, is worth a visit for all the major and lesser known designer labels. If you want to carry on, a stone’s throw away Selfridges is Bond Street where you’ll find all the designers, many of them which are flagship stores.
For those on a more modest budget, check out the ever changing creative window displays. If you’re looking for a real bargain, head to Primark towards Marble Arch. Be warned though, it seems to be forever rammed with shoppers. If you can, the best time to go is in the morning or just before they close at around 9 pm depending on the day of the week. On the opposite end next to Oxford Circus tube station is the legendary Topshop, which set across four floors offers the latest fashion trends for a fraction of the price. These are the three highlights along the length of Oxford Street. In between there are plenty of other stores to keep you busy and burn a hole in your pocket!
If you still have the energy, unfortunately once the shops shut, there’s little on offer in terms of a nightlife but luckily Oxford Street is close to bars and clubs of Piccadilly and Soho.
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