Regent Street is one of the best known shopping areas not
just in London but in the country as a whole. In fact its far more than a
shopping area as it borders the heart of London nightlife, theatreland and
tourist heart of London. The section between Piccadilly Circus and South to
Pall Mall is Called Lower Regent Street. North of Piccadilly Circus up to
Langham Place is the main Regent Street with the vast majority of shops and
amenities.
Today the Street is home some 142 different shops, hotels, restaurants,
boutiques and stores. One of the more recent arrivals is the Apple Mac store
in keeping with the renovation and facelift the Street has seen in the 21st
century. Some names have been around for many years and become associated
with the Street such as Liberty (since 1875), Burberrys, Dickins & Jones and
of course Hamleys toy store (one of the largest toy stores in the world).
Other stores and restaurants are new kids on the blocks and represent the
changing nature of the High Street such as the ubiquitous McDonalds
(actually two of them), the Body Shop, Café Nero, French Connection, Gap
Kids and many many more.
In the early part of the nineteenth century the area around Regents Park was
rural in nature and detached from central London. At this time Regents Park
was actually called 'Marylebone Park' and was a Royal owned Crowne Estate
with some new residential properties. The background to how the development
of the area came about was a long drawn out affair that started back in 1793
with a prize of £1,000 being put up by John Fordyce, the Surveyor of General
Land Revenues for the best plan for the development of Marylebone park. Only
two planes were drawn up and these were both by John White in 1809. In 1810
the then Surveyor of General Land Revenues, Lord Glenbervie, instructed John
Nash and also Leverton & Chawner (Land Revenue surveyors), to come up with
plans not just to develop Marylebone park but also construct a street to
connect with Charing Cross. It was John nashes' plan that was chosen and
proposed to the treasury who sanctioned the scheme in 1811. Finally the
whole project was discussed with the Prince Regent (was to become King
George IV from 1820 till 1830). The final plan was to develop the area
between Marylebone Park and the home of the Prince Regent at Carlton House.
This would give the new properties in the North and Marylebone Park links to
the viable parts of the capital at Charring Cross and Westminster. Today
Carlton House no longer exists but it was roughly sited at the point where
Pall Mall and Waterloo Place meet. By 1825 Regent Street (named after Prince
Regent who funded the construction) was completed and formed a ceremonial
route that connected Regents Park (the Prince had planned to build a place
here but it never came to fruition) to the princess's home at Carlton House.
The actual area of construction was much more than just Regent Street, it
also took in the surrounding areas and roads North of Marylebone Road such
as Albany Street. The Street was pronounced a great success on completion
and was famed for its use of sweeping curves. Most notably just opposite
Regents park in park Crescent and at the bottom of Regent Street as it winds
in a semi circle down to Piccadilly Circus. Some say it was the first
purpose built shopping street in the world. Part of the original Street were
Quadrant Colonnades, a covered walkway, which was demolished in 1848 as they
became a favourite place for working girls to ply their trade hidden from
direct light and proved unpopular with shop keepers who said it blocked
their light.
Today the only building that still survives from Nashes' construction is All
Souls Church at the very top of Regent Street and opposite the BBC building
on Langham Place. The Street was completely rebuilt between 1904 and 1925
after it was agreed it needed large scale modernisation. Today the Regent
Street Estate is the largest publicly owned real estate holding in the
United Kingdom. One of the oldest existing establishments is the The Café
Royal which was opened in 1865.
Synonymous with Regent Street are its famous Christmas Lights which go up in
December each year. However it was only after newspaper criticism about the
dreary look London had during the Xmas period that Regents Street started
the lights tradition with the first display in 1954. However there was no
display during 1972-1977 because of a lack of funding. The displayed is paid
for by the Streets retailers and other sponsors. Costs can be as much as
£500,000 to fund the display. Every year the turning on of the lights has
become a huge event and the switch is always throne by a celebrity or
someone in the current media spotlight.
Another annual event is Street festival held around September when Street is
closed off to traffic and becomes the venue for a themed street event.
see>>
All London Photos
>>>
also see Regent
Street Christmas Lights
>>>
Hotels Near
Regent Street
.
CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE
all images are copyright Milesfaster.co.uk
All Souls Church on Langham Place
view South from All Souls Church
Outside the Saint Georges Hotel looking at the west side of
Regent Street.
near Mortimer Street
near Little Portland Street
East side - University of Westminster
looking south from the book warehouse
Burger King
All Bar One
Cafe Nero and the Paul patisserie
Garfunkels and Levis Strauss
Topshop and Niketown
looking south at Oxford Circus
Shellys shoe store
placards being shown on Oxford Circus.
past Oxford Circus and looking South
Mamas and Papas and Monsoon Accessorize.
French Connection and Princes Street
Market stool on Regent Street
Market stool by Dickens and Jones
Apple store
another south view
Lacoste and Karen Millen
Gap Kids
south view from Fouberts Place
London Pedicab (Rickshaw)
Fouberts Place to Beak Street
Pixie
looking south from Hanover Street
Hamleys
Entrance to Hamleys
looking south by Conduit Street
looking south from close to Conduit Street
Next, Mappin and Webb, Wedgewood
West side, Regents, The Change Group, Petit Bateau
Burberrys
west side between Duchamp and Vigo Street
West side HSBC Bank to Burberrys
West side by New Burlington Mews looking South.
East side looking south by Beak Street
London Pedicab in bus lane
Talbots and Habitat
Austin Reed, Clarkes and the London Textile Company
Aquascutum
Moss bros
regent street curves towards Piccadilly circus
Starbucks Coffee and the second of the two McDonalds
Cheers Bar
Close to Glasshouse Street Vigo Street
Cafe Royal
Virgin Megastore
Regent Street southern end
covered Pedicab
colourful placards
Christmas shop window
cafe nero street front