The pedestrianisation of Oxford Street will help rid the world famous shopping road of “dross” American-style candy stores, the Mayor of London has said. After decades of proposals, abandoned schemes and political wrangling, almost a kilometre of London’s premier shopping district will become traffic-free from Monday, October 26.
Lord Sadiq Khan said the date, just before the busiest time of year for retailers, will “go down in history”. The stretch between Orchard Street, near Selfridges, and Great Portland Street, just east of Oxford Circus, will be closed to vehicles.
Traffic diversions and preparations
Buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, bicycles, scooters and pedicabs will all be diverted. However, Westminster council has warned traffic will be pushed onto smaller surrounding side roads.
But Lord Khan told the Standard: “For too long we’ve had years and years of decline. These great shops struggling because of a lack of investment, people shopping online, people going to out of town centre shopping malls, the pandemic has really changed things. I want to be supporting these flagship stores.”
Phased transformation and future plans
Next week’s closure marks the beginning of a phased transformation rather than the finished version of the new Oxford Street. Lord Khan said: “Monday is the first phase. In advance of Christmas we’ll do very little work because we want that space to be used by people, by shoppers. Early next year we’ll have more seats, more trees, public spaces. It’s really important to recognise that decline is not inevitable, we can reverse it.”
Lord Khan stressed that since City Hall announced its plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street, store vacancies were down and “quality shops are moving in”. In recent years, the road has been dogged by controversy surrounding the prevalence of low quality outlets, vaping stores and tourist-trap discount shops. Crime, including a spike in phone snatching, has been a recurring concern.
Impact on retail and business rates
Asked whether the pedestrianisation would mark the end of the American candy stores and tacky souvenir shops that have plagued the famous road, Lord Khan said: “I’m looking forward to good quality shops rather than the dross we’ve had. This is the nation’s high street. It can contribute to London’s economy and to the greater economy and I’m really pleased that finally Oxford Street will be pedestrianising.”
Following HMV announcing it would be closing its Oxford Street store after huge rent hikes this week, Lord Khan said that he was hoping to see more support for businesses in the Budget on Wednesday. The music retailer also faced a substantial bill for renovations, which combined to make the flagship location “commercially unviable”.
Lord Khan added he wanted Chancellor John Healey to include business rate support and measures to help stores employ more young people in his fiscal statement. “The Prime Minister has already announced a reduction in business rates for some sectors,” the Mayor said. “We need some more support… I’m determined to work with the Government to support our retail.”
