92-589: Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow , the largest city in Scotland . It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: Argyle Street , and Sauchiehall Street . Buchanan Street was first feued in 1777 and named after a wealthy Tobacco Lord , plantation owner and former Lord Provost of Glasgow , Andrew Buchanan of Buchanan, Hastie, & Co. He
184-518: A House of Commons committee concluded that the loss of small shops on high streets in favor of chain stores contributes to the formation of clone towns , leading to "a loss of sociability ". In 2011, business consultant Mary Portas , best known for the TV series Mary Queen of Shops , was commissioned by the UK government to provide an independent review of High Street shopping. The report provided evidence for
276-950: A highway ). In most cities the main business and shopping area is rather referred to as Innenstadt (downtown) or by the specific street name. In Cologne the Hohe Straße (literally, High Street) is the main shopping street, but was named after a gate at its southern end (the Hohe Pforte , or High Gate). The term High Street is far less commonly used in Ireland. There, like in the United States, Main Street tends to be used instead. Neither of Dublin's two main shopping streets ( Grafton Street and Henry Street ) carry this name, for example, nor does its main thoroughfare ( O'Connell Street ). While Dublin has street named High Street near Christchurch , formerly
368-480: A grand scale, designed to harmonise and produce an impressive overall effect. Strict rules governed the reconstruction. Each block had to be designed with a continuous unifying street façade and finished in Portland stone. The first redevelopment was Regent House, just south of Oxford Circus. The stylistic tone for the rebuilding was set by Sir Reginald Blomfield 's Quadrant. The architect Norman Shaw , then aged 73,
460-519: A little under 200 years. Since 2014 the premises have been occupied by Watches of Switzerland . Immediately north of Regent Street is the BBC 's headquarters, Broadcasting House , whose front entrance is in Langham Place. Several national radio stations are broadcast from this building. The site had formerly been a building on the gardens of Foley House designed by James Wyatt and called Wyatt's House. It
552-401: A major shopping street named High Street ( Irish : An tSráid Ard ), including Killarney , Galway , Wexford , Ballinrobe , Westport , Bagenalstown , Macroom , Tuam , Wicklow , Trim , Monaghan , Kilkenny , and Kilrush . Bantry, County Cork is an interesting variant; the main shopping street is called High Street in its western part and Main Street in its eastern part. The same
644-458: A mixed use development comprising residential, retail and business properties. 55°51′38.46″N 4°15′14.8″W / 55.8606833°N 4.254111°W / 55.8606833; -4.254111 High street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth . It implies that it
736-408: A number of different variables. Research has highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by towns and cities and suggested that "[t]he town centre serves not only social, utilitarian or hedonic shopping purposes but also supports out-of-hours entertainment and leisure services. The way that consumers perceive and use town centres has also fundamentally changed." In order to address the issues threatening
828-512: A part of Crown Estate's plans to redevelop this part of Regent Street. Veeraswamy , London's oldest extant Indian restaurant, has been at 99-101 Regent Street since 1926. Regent Street is home to several events throughout the year. The Regent Street Festival happens annually, and during this time, the street is closed to traffic. In September, there is a series of fashion-related events, dubbed as Fashion and Design Month (FDM), which has been running since 2015. In an interview with David Shaw,
920-536: A peak in Victorian Britain where, drawn to growing towns and cities spurred on by the Industrial Revolution , the rate of urbanisation was unprecedented. Since the latter half of the 20th century, the prosperity of High Streets has been in decline due to the growth of out-of-town shopping centres , and, since the early 21st century, the growth of online retailing, forcing many shop closures and prompting
1012-578: A preponderance of stores selling luxury branded goods. In the United Kingdom, geographic concentration of goods and services (including at industrial estates and out of town shopping centres) has reduced the share of the economy contributed to by workers in the high street. High Street refers to only a part of commerce. The town centre in many British towns combines a group of outdoor shopping streets (one or more of which may be pedestrianised ), with an adjacent indoor shopping centre. High Streets through
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#17328551583791104-672: A property on Regent Street, shortly after the process had been publicly documented. Regent Street is a location on the British version of Monopoly as a group of three green squares with Oxford Street and Bond Street . The three properties are grouped together as they are all known for their retail and commercial backgrounds. The Langham Hotel on Regent Street is mentioned in several of Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes stories, including "The Sign of Four", "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax". In The Hound of
1196-478: A street where the most important shops and businesses were located. In Britain, the term 'high street' has both a generic and a specific meaning: people refer to 'shopping on the high street' both when they mean the main retail area, as well as the specific street of that name. Many former British colonies, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US region known as New England (especially Massachusetts ), adopted
1288-627: A strong seller of table tennis equipment in the late 19th century, allowing the sport to become popular. The business moved to Nos. 200–202, and moved to the current address in 1981. It claims to be the largest toy shop in the world. The main London branch of the clothing store Jaeger was at Nos. 200–206 Regent Street. It was founded in 1884 by Lewis Tomalin, who was inspired by naturalist Gustav Jäger 's pioneering use of anti-animal fibre-based clothing. The first shop, on Fore Street , had "Doctor Jaeger's Sanitary Woollen System" inscribed above
1380-404: A typical high street to differentiate them from more specialised, exclusive and expensive outlets (often independent stores) – for example, "High Street banks " (instead of the less-common private or investment banks ) or "High Street shops" (instead of boutiques ). The phrase "High Street banks" is used to refer to the retail banking sector in the United Kingdom. Alongside High Street ,
1472-631: Is a term used in smaller towns and villages in Scotland , while in North East England Front Street is common. In Cornwall , some places in Devon and some places in the North of England, the equivalent is Fore Street; in some parts of the UK Market Street is also used, although sometimes this may be a different area where street markets are currently (or were historically) held. Following
1564-493: Is found in Athlone and Birr, County Offaly . In Jamaica, the main commercial district is Front Street (especially in cities located alongside a waterway). In Norway, the main commercial and administrative street is most often 'Storgaten/Storgata' (Grand Street) In Sweden, the main street is often 'Storgatan' (Grand Street), but as common is 'Drottninggtan' (Queen's street) and 'Kungsgatan' (King's Street)' The equivalent in
1656-502: Is frequently used in Quebec towns, and "a village where the main street is still Main Street" is a phrase that is used in respect for small towns. In some sections of Canada, the main commercial district is Front Street (especially in cities located alongside a waterway). In Germany , the equivalent is Hauptstraße (Main Street), though this can also refer to a road with a lot of traffic (i.e.,
1748-498: Is numbered A4201, though in common with roads inside the London congestion charging zone , the number does not appear on signs. Nearby tube stations are Charing Cross , Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus ; the lattermost being one of the busiest underground stations in London, and is where three main lines ( Central , Bakerloo and Victoria ) meet. Several bus routes, such as 6, 12, and 13, run along Regent Street. Regent Street
1840-500: Is the focal point for business, especially shopping . It is also a metonym for the retail sector. While many streets, such as Camden High Street (in London). bear this name, streets with similar function but different names are often referred to as "high street". With the rapid increase in consumer expenditure the number of High Streets in England grew from the 17th century and reached
1932-783: Is used across various types of settlements; from densely populated inner suburbs of Dublin such as Ranelagh , to satellite suburbs of the capital such as Swords , and also in villages and small towns throughout the country. For example, the OSI North Leinster Town Maps book lists sixteen "Main Streets" and only two "High Streets" in its thirty-town index of street names. Similarly, the OSI Dublin Street Guide (covering all of Dublin City and County Dublin) lists twenty "Main Streets" and only two "High Streets". Some Irish towns do have
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#17328551583792024-660: The Gallery of Modern Art . At its north end, meeting Sauchiehall Street, are the Buchanan Galleries and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, which includes the home of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra . Buchanan Street is renowned for its variety in high street shopping, including flagship stores, with rents on the street being as much as £250 per square foot (£2,700 per square metre), making it
2116-500: The Great Fire of London (1666), the city of London was completely rebuilt. New planning laws, governing rebuilding, designated four types of street based on the size of their carriageways and the types of buildings. Shops were permitted in the principal street or 'high street', but not in the by-lanes or back streets. This may have been based on the need for high visibility in order to regulate retail trade, as well as to avoid congestion in
2208-414: The Industrial Revolution , the department store became a common feature in major High Streets across Britain, with Harding, Howell & Co. , opened in 1796 on Pall Mall , London, a contender for the first department store. Founded in London in 1792, bookseller and stationers WHSmith is the world's oldest national retail chain . The 19th century was a "golden era" for High Street shops. The rise of
2300-682: The United States is Main Street . In some sections of the United States, the main commercial district is Front Street (especially in cities located alongside a waterway). Regent Street Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London . It is named after George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton . It runs from Waterloo Place in St James's at
2392-436: The "Camel's Back". Liberty later took over all of Nos. 140–150 Regent Street. In 1925, this complex was replaced by two new buildings, and a mock tudor building (built by architects Edwin T. Hall and his son Edwin S. Hall, constructed from the timbers of two ships, HMS Impregnable , and HMS Hindustan on neighbouring Great Marlborough Street connected by a footbridge over Kingly Street , which separates
2484-497: The "centre of fashion". Shops expanded into multiple properties, selling imported and exotic products to appeal to niche consumers. By the end of the century, fashions had changed and the original buildings were small and old fashioned, restricting trade. The colonnade constructed by Nash was demolished in the mid-19th century for fear it might attract "doubtful characters". Other buildings were not up to modern building standards; some had been extended and were structurally suspect. As
2576-619: The 99-year leases came to an end, Regent Street was redeveloped between 1895 and 1927 under the control of the Office of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues (now known as the Crown Estate ). The modern Regent Street is the result of this redevelopment. No original structures survive except south of Oxford Circus for some Nash-designed sewers. The current design is an example of the Beaux Arts approach to urban design: an assembly of separate buildings on
2668-509: The Academy of Urbanism "Great Street Award" 2008, beating both O'Connell Street in Dublin and Regent Street / Portland Place , London. The area between Argyle Street and St. Vincent Street is particularly popular with buskers . In May 2002, then-Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled a statue of the late- First Minister of Scotland Donald Dewar at the northern end of the street, the only statue in
2760-588: The Athenaeum, later known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama , linking through from St George's Place. West of Buchanan Street the classical New Town of Blythswood was started around 1800, developed by William Harley and rising up Blythswood Hill to Blythswood Square . The land around the north and northeast of Buchanan Street, heading towards Port Dundas on the canal, became home to Buchanan Street railway station serving northern Scotland,
2852-617: The Crown. It was hoped the road could link Pall Mall and the Haymarket , which had declined and became downmarket. A further problem was increased congestion around Charing Cross , which would benefit from road improvements. The street was designed by John Nash (who had been appointed to the Office of Woods and Forests in 1806 and previously served as an adviser to the Prince Regent) and by developer James Burton . Nash proposed his own plans for
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2944-536: The Place Vendome in Paris, between 1815 and 1816. The vast majority of the street was designed by Nash or Burton. However, a few buildings were designed by Charles Robert Cockerell , Sir John Soane , or others. By 1819, the Crown was receiving regular rent and the street was becoming established. At first, it was named New Street and became a dividing line between Soho , which had declined socially and economically, and
3036-564: The Quadrant to head north again, meeting Oxford Street at Oxford Circus . It ends at a junction with Cavendish Place and Mortimer Street near the BBC Broadcasting House , with the road ahead being Langham Place , followed by Portland Place . The southern section of the road is one-way northbound and part of the A4 , a major road through West London. From Piccadilly Circus northwards, it
3128-487: The Regent Street Association have arranged annual Christmas lights. There is a different display every year and the switching on ceremony occurs during November. On 6 July 2004, half a million people crowded into Regent Street and the surrounding streets to watch a parade of Formula One cars. In 2016, the sport's chief manager, Bernie Ecclestone , speculated that a London Grand Prix may potentially happen in
3220-499: The UK government to consider initiatives to reinvigorate and preserve the High Street. High Street is the most common street name in the UK, which according to a 2009 statistical compilation has 5,410 High Streets, 3,811 Station Roads and 2,702 Main Streets. In Middle English the word "high" denoted superior rank (" high sheriff ", " Lord High Chancellor ", " high society "). "High" also applied to roads as they improved: " highway "
3312-567: The United Kingdom , with the balance shifting towards the latter. In the early 21st century, bricks and mortar retailers confronted another major threat from online retailers operating in a global marketplace. To confront this threat, High Street precincts have been forced to evolve; some have become smaller as shops shut their doors, while others have become more like social spaces with a concentration of retail services including cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues while yet others have positioned themselves as more up-market shopping precincts with
3404-779: The address of the South African Consulate, as a protest to the African National Congress (ANC) activist Nelson Mandela being a political prisoner of the South African apartheid government at the time. On his release, Glasgow was the first city in the United Kingdom to honour him with the Freedom of the City, October 1993. Buchanan Street is joined here by St George's-Tron Church and the Glasgow Stock Exchange building, and Royal Exchange Square , which now houses
3496-456: The air with dust. Existing tenants had first offer to purchase leases on the new properties. The Treasury supported the proposal because, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars , there was an urgent need for the government to create jobs. Government expenditure was low because the design relied heavily on private developers, such as Nash himself. The buildings were let on 99-year leases, as
3588-451: The building becoming a casino for the Stakis organization which it remained until the 1980s. Buchanan Bus Station was opened nearby the top of the street in 1977, at the same time as the street itself was pedestrianised between Bath Street and Argyle Street. The northern section of the street underwent significant regeneration in the late 1980s when the demolition of the former NAAFI building at
3680-449: The café about his proposal to sue the Marquess of Queensberry for libel over Wilde's alleged homosexuality. Wilde went ahead with the trial, which ultimately led to his own arrest and imprisonment. The present building, by Sir Reginald Blomfield, dates from 1928 and is Grade II listed. It was closed in 2008 and the building which houses the café was bought by a subsidiary of Alrov Group , as
3772-458: The centre of the medieval city, it is not a shopping street. The city of Cork 's main shopping street is St Patrick's Street . The city's oldest streets are named North Main Street and South Main Street. Limerick 's principal thoroughfare, like Dublin, is also O'Connell Street (the name is used in a number of other Irish towns in honour of Daniel O'Connell ). The term Main Street ( Irish : An tSráid Mhór , literally "The Big/Great Street")
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3864-404: The centuries The popularity of shopping malls in the mid-20th century, combined with the rise of online retail at the turn of the century has threatened the viability of high street retail precincts. Initiatives to preserve the traditional British High Street are evident. Research into the customer's shopping preferences and patterns reveals that the continued vitality of towns is predicated on
3956-654: The corner of George Square , and the Buchanan Street station on the Glasgow Subway (which also serves Queen Street Station) is underneath the top half of Buchanan Street. The St. Enoch station of the subway is at the foot of Buchanan Street in St Enoch Square . A Glasgow branch of the NAAFI was constructed at the intersection of Sauchiehall Street in 1953, but was not a financial success and closed just seven years later –
4048-453: The damage, it survived the war and became one of the best known buildings associated with radio broadcasting. Subsequently, the BBC expanded with additional studios at Maida Vale , followed by the former headquarters of BBC Television , BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane . In the 2000s, Broadcasting House was expanded to include a new wing and modernise the site, replacing earlier extensions. It
4140-417: The decline of High Street precincts such as data indicating that retail spending in High Street shops had fallen to below 50 per cent. Her final report set out a vision for High Streets and a number of recommendations. However, her plan has failed to stem the number of High Street store closures, leaving authorities in a quandary about how to proceed. The term "High Street" is used to describe stores found on
4232-552: The door. Oscar Wilde was a regular visitor to the shop. Henry Morton Stanley is known to have worn Jaeger clothing during his search for David Livingstone in Africa, as is Robert Falcon Scott on his fated trip to the South Pole . The company moved to Regent Street in 1935; it moved out in January 2016. The Apple Store opened on Regent Street on 20 November 2004. At the time, this was
4324-548: The east side of Regent Street in 1821, and the west side of Regent Street, specifically the part between the Quadrant and Oxford Street , and its archways, in 1822. Burton built north of Old Burlington Street , and the east side of the street between Chapel Court and the entrance to the King Street Chapel SW1, in 1822. Burton also designed and built Regent Street St. James (Lower Regent Street) , and Waterloo Place, St. James's , whose facades he modelled on those of
4416-501: The fashionable squares and streets of Mayfair to the west. Carlton House was demolished after completion of the works in 1829 and was replaced by Carlton House Terrace , designed by Nash and the son of James Burton, Decimus Burton . Regent Street was the first shopping area in Britain to support late night opening in 1850, when shopkeepers agreed to keep stores open until 7pm. During the 19th century, Regent Street became established as
4508-527: The first railway terminal in the city-centre. Originally owned by the Caledonian Railway , then the London Midland and Scottish Railway and finally British Railways , it closed in 1966 and the area now contains Glasgow Caledonian University . Glasgow Queen Street station , serving the east and north of Scotland, and west to Helensburgh, Oban and Fort William, is immediately east of Buchanan Street at
4600-806: The first such store in Europe, with the others being in the United States and Japan. It was the largest Apple store worldwide until the opening of an even larger store in Covent Garden in August 2010. The building that houses the store is a grade II listed building built in 1898 for Venetian mosaicist Antonio Salviati. Austin Reed 's flagship store was at Nos. 103–113 Regent Street for more than 85 years, having moved there in 1911. It had an atrium at its centre, housing glass lifts allowing viewing across all floors. The lower ground floor sold womenswear and also housed Austin's,
4692-537: The future, including Regent Street as a part of the circuit. The character Lord Frederick Verisopht in Charles Dickens ' Nicholas Nickleby lived in an apartment in Regent Street. This reflected the nature of the street in the mid-19th century when it was still a fashionable residence for the upper class. In August 1839, the first British commercial production of daguerreotype photographs were carried out in
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#17328551583794784-473: The head of the Regent Street Portfolio , he said that for FDM 2016, they worked with many "talented individuals across a variety of events, combining creative talent with our established stores." There have been Christmas lights on Regent Street in various forms since 1882. The current regular displays date from 1948, when the Regent Street Association decorated the street with trees. Since 1954,
4876-631: The intersection took place in 1988 to allow for the construction of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall , opening in 1990, and the adjoining Buchanan Galleries shopping mall, which began construction in 1995 and opened in 1999. Both these new buildings spelled the final end for Parliamentary Road – the main easterly thoroughfare into neighbouring Townhead . Also in 1999, the entire street was repaved with high quality granite stonework and blue neon lighting. The combination of impressive Victorian architecture and modern urban design won Buchanan Street
4968-512: The land was probably at least in part to offset these initial losses. Palladian villas, similar to those of the 18th century in Argyle Street, Miller Street and Queen Street were erected along with other terraced townhouses from the 1790s onwards, similar to the new George Square and new Royal Exchange Square . Shops, hotels, banks, offices and clubs soon followed including the Western Club and
5060-589: The late 19th century. The street is known for its flagship retail stores, including Liberty , Hamleys , Jaeger and the Apple Store . The Royal Polytechnic Institution, now the University of Westminster , has been based on Regent Street since 1838. Regent Street is approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) long and begins at a junction with Charles II Street as a continuation of Waterloo Place. It runs north to Piccadilly Circus , where it turns left before curving round
5152-490: The middle class in Victorian England contributed to a more favourable attitude to shopping and consumption. Shopping centres became places to see and be seen, for recreational shopping, and for promenading . By the 20th century, however, the viability of High Streets began to decline. In the second half of the 20th century, traditional British High Street precincts came under pressure from out-of-town shopping centres in
5244-640: The monarch, started a major redevelopment programme. In 2013 the Estate sold a quarter of the 270,000-square-foot (25,000 m ) Regent Street Quadrant 3 building to the Norwegian Oil Fund , while later that year, Hackett London bought the lease for the Ferrari store on Regent Street for £4m. Smaller shops have been replaced by larger units; the street is now the flagship location of several major brands, including Apple and Banana Republic . The largest part of
5336-489: The narrow lanes and back streets. Accordingly, from the 17th century, the term "High Street" gradually assumed a narrower meaning and came to describe thoroughfares with significant retail in large villages and towns. With the rapid increase in consumer expenditure , in the late 17th and 18th centuries the number of High Streets in England increased markedly. Britain also saw an unprecedented growth in urbanisation with people flocking to growing towns and cities. Nurtured by
5428-408: The newly-developed Regent Street in the 1820s; they first opened at number 49, and by 1848 had expanded into 45-51. The premises, which included a prominent frontage on Piccadilly Circus, were rebuilt by Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1910-20. The department store closed down in 1982. Hedges and Butler, wine and spirits merchant established in 1667, moved into 153 Regent Street in 1819 and stayed there for
5520-460: The plan was the reconstruction of the Quadrant close to Piccadilly Circus, which was completed in 2011. It offers 200,000 square feet (19,000 m ) of office space spanning over seven floors. Two Art Deco -designed restaurants have also been restored, and the development includes a small number of apartments. The Crown Estate moved its own headquarters from Carlton House Terrace to Regent Street in 2006. The department store Dickins and Jones
5612-417: The properties. The toy store Hamleys is at No. 188 Regent Street, just south of Oxford Circus. It was founded as Noah's Ark at No. 231 High Holborn in 1760. An additional branch opened at Nos. 64–66 Regent Street in 1881, while the original High Holborn building burned down in 1901, moving to Nos. 86–87. The store was frequently the first to market the latest games and toys, and became
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#17328551583795704-602: The refurbished Art Deco Barber Shop. In May 2011, the British fashion retailer Superdry announced it would move into the building, paying £12m for the lease. In return, Austin Reed moved to the former Aquascutum shop on the other side of the road. In 2016, Austin Reed filed for administration , ending over 100 years' presence on Regent Street. Aquascutum , first established in Mayfair in 1851, opened its flagship store at 100 Regent Street in 1895. It closed on 7 August 2011. Swan and Edgar moved their haberdashery business into
5796-468: The sixth most expensive street in the United Kingdom for retail rent, only surpassed by five streets in London. Buchanan Street is also the second busiest shopping thoroughfare, second only to Oxford Street in London. Glasgow has been recognised for being the second best shopping destination in the United Kingdom, after London, since 2008. In 2022, plans were announced to demolish the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre, built in 1999, and create new streets and
5888-481: The southern end, through Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus , to All Souls Church . From there Langham Place and Portland Place continue the route to Regent's Park . The street's layout was completed in 1825 and was an early example of town planning in England, replacing earlier roads including Swallow Street . Nash and Burton's street layout has survived, although all the original buildings except All Souls Church have been replaced following reconstruction in
5980-468: The store by buying the Harrods group. In 2005, House of Fraser announced that the store would close the following year, after it had been making a loss for several years and not kept up with more fashion-conscious department stores elsewhere. The building has been redeveloped with small shop units on the lower floors and flats and offices above. The Liberty department store is based at Nos. 210–220. It
6072-545: The stores which make up the iconic House of Fraser – which started in Glasgow and also owned Harrods of London. Buchanan Street is now entirely pedestrianised, but the streets that cross it (St. Vincent Street, George Street and Bath Street) are not. In the middle, Royal Exchange Square opens out through to Queen Street. Buchanan Street is met by Nelson Mandela Place, which was renamed by the Labour city council from St George's Place,
6164-424: The street in 1810 following the death of Fordyce, envisioning broad, architecturally distinguished thoroughfares and public spaces, and planned to construct a straight boulevard as seen in French cities, but this was not possible because of land ownership issues. Nash's final design resulted in a road situated further west than on previous plans, and Nash believed the road would run down a de facto line separating
6256-409: The street. The central section, known as the Quadrant, was designed for "shops appropriated to articles of fashion and taste," and was Nash's centrepiece for the street. It was built with a colonnade of cast-iron columns, allowing commuters to walk along the street without having to face bad weather. The buildings along the Quadrant had different facades, a deliberate choice by Nash to break away from
6348-472: The street. On the west side across from Buchanan Galleries a further major development of shops and housing opened in 2013 stretching through to West Nile Street at Bath Street. At the start of the street where it meets Argyle Street and St Enoch Square the historic Argyll Arcade which opened in 1827 with sixty-three shops and is now the oldest Victorian shopping centre in Britain, and its near neighbour award-winning Princes Square indoor mall face across to
6440-423: The sustainability of towns it is increasingly important to consider Consumer behaviour and customer experience . This is in line with research that proposes that for high street retail to thrive in spite of the growth threat of eCommerce , the sensual hedonic experiences (e.g. scent, feel, etc.) need to be presented to visitors while allowing for discovery of hidden experiences in the built environment. In 2006,
6532-418: The term Main Street is also used in smaller towns and villages. The Dutch equivalent is Hoogstraat , or in villages Dorpsstraat ("village street'). Alongside the term High Street , the terms Main Street or "Central Avenue" are also used. In Canada, east of Lake Superior, King Street and Queen Street are often major streets; rue Principale , as the literal French language equivalent of Main Street
6624-400: The term to refer to retail shopping areas. Main street is used in the island of Ireland. In Britain, some 3,000 streets called High Street and about 2,300 streets with variations on the name (such as Upper High Street, High Street West) have been identified, giving a grand total of approximately 5,300. Of these, more than 600 High Streets are located in London's boroughs. Main Street
6716-567: The theatre in 1995. The University of Westminster 's main campus is at No. 309 Regent Street. Founded in 1838 under the chairmanship of George Cayley , it is one of the oldest educational institutions in Central London. It began life as the Royal Polytechnic Institution (after a royal charter had been formally received in August 1839 Prince Albert became a patron to the institution). The Polytechnic closed in 1881, but
6808-524: The uniform design of the previous century and a pragmatic means of using what building materials were available and what clients wanted. The road was planned to end outside Carlton House in Pall Mall, the residence of the Prince of Wales. Nash insisted that businesses on the street would be of high-quality to rival nearby Bond Street ; common trades such as butchers or greengrocers were not allowed. The design
6900-586: The upper classes and nobility in Mayfair with the working class in Soho . The construction of the northern section of the New Street involved demolishing most of the existing Swallow Street , which had become run down and was an ideal candidate for regeneration. The road was designed to curve east between Oxford Street and Piccadilly so that it did not meet St James's Square , and the circuses allowed visual continuity down
6992-553: Was a lack of planning throughout the West End and that it would be useful to construct a thoroughfare linking Marylebone Park (now Regent's Park ) with the Prince Regent 's Carlton House . John Fordyce was appointed as Surveyor-General to the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1793 and concluded that there should be a suitable road in place by 1811, when the lease for Marylebone Park ran out and ownership reverted to
7084-472: Was a new term taken up by the church and their vestries during the 17th century as a term for all public roads between settlements. From the 19th century, which saw a proliferation in the number of public roads, the term "highway" lost its specific meaning, and was legally defined as any public road (e.g., the Highway Code regulates UK public roads). The term "high street" assumed a different meaning, that of
7176-520: Was adopted by an act of Parliament, the New Street Act 1813 ( 53 Geo. 3 . c. 121), which permitted the commissioners to borrow £600,000 for building and construction. The street was intended for commercial purposes and it was expected that most of the income would come from private capital. Nash took responsibility for design and valuation of all properties. Construction of the road required demolishing numerous properties, disrupting trade and polluting
7268-561: Was brought in to draw up proposals for the Circus and the Quadrant after early plans were considered unsatisfactory. His scheme was approved in principle but subject to indecision and dispute, both on property acquisition and retailers' demand for bigger display windows. Shaw's design for the Piccadilly Hotel was completed in 1908 with modifications, while the Quadrant was rebuilt by Blomfield, adapting Shaw's designs. The work started in 1923 and
7360-668: Was common at the time, and income could be recouped in the form of ground rent. James Burton, the pre-eminent Georgian London property developer , designed and constructed 191 of the houses of Regent Street, and their joining archways. Five of the largest blocks of Regent Street were purchased by Burton in 1817. Burton's houses on Regent Street are No. 4 to No. 12; No. 17 to No. 25; No. 106 to No. 128; No. 132 to No. 154; No. 133 to No. 167; No. 171 to No. 195; and No. 295 to No. 319. These were built, together with Carlton Chambers, between 1817 and 1820. Burton also built between Leicester Street and No. 129 Swallow Street in 1820. Burton built
7452-461: Was completed by 1928. Significantly, no accommodation was built above any of the retail properties, contributing to the demise of the West End as a place of residence. A limited number of architects were responsible for the redesigned street, including Sir John James Burnet , Arthur Joseph Davis and Henry Tanner . The Work was delayed by World War I and not finished until 1927. Its completion
7544-471: Was demolished in 1928 (with much of the fixtures ending up in the Victoria and Albert Museum ) to construct Broadcasting House. Construction was challenging because the building had to be visually similar to other properties on Regent Street, yet also contain over twenty soundproofed studios. The exterior is built of Portland stone and above the front entrance is a sculpture by Eric Gill . Broadcasting House
7636-619: Was designed by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard . Originally named the Egton House, it was renamed to the John Peel Wing in 2012, in memory of the radio broadcaster. The Paris Theatre was located in a converted cinema in Lower Regent Street, near other BBC buildings. Several rock groups performed live concerts here, including The Beatles , Queen and Pink Floyd , which were simultaneously recorded for broadcast. The BBC stopped using
7728-522: Was established at No. 54 Oxford Street as Dickins and Smith before moving to Nos. 232–234 Regent Street in 1835. It was renamed to Dickins and Jones in the 1890s after John Pritchard Jones became a business partner, and by the turn of the 20th century employed over 200 people. It became part of the Harrods group in 1914, and expanded to cover Nos. 224–244 in 1922, in a new building designed by Sir Henry Tanner . In 1959, House of Fraser took over
7820-534: Was first used by the BBC on 2 May 1932, and total construction costs were £350,000. It was too small for all services, and St George's Hall, next to All Souls, was used for variety broadcasts until it was demolished during the Blitz . On 15 October 1940, the building took a direct hit, killing seven people, and later that year a landmine exploded on Portland Place, causing widespread fires in Broadcasting House. Despite
7912-424: Was founded by entrepreneur Arthur Lasenby Liberty , who had been inspired by the 1862 International Exhibition and wanted to open an oriental warehouse. He opened his first shop, East India House in 1875 at No. 218a, selling silk garments and various oriental goods. The shop expanded into other properties on Regent Street in the 1880s, separated by a jeweller's shop which was bridged by a double staircase called
8004-599: Was marked by King George V and Queen Mary driving in state along its length. The only remaining Nash building is All Souls Church and all the buildings on the street are at least Grade II listed . All the properties are in the Regent Street Conservation Area. Meanwhile, the Bakerloo line of the London Underground was built running under the street for part of its course from 1902 until 1906, when it
8096-468: Was one of the first planned developments of London. An ordered structure of London streets, replacing the mediaeval layout, had been planned since just after the Great Fire of London (1666) when Sir Christopher Wren and John Evelyn drew plans for rebuilding the city on the classical formal model. After a lack of progress, houses were rebuilt on the old street network anyway. In 1766, John Gwynn complained in London and Westminster Improved that there
8188-452: Was opened on 10 March that year. The line's entrance at Oxford Circus tube station, near Argyll Street, was designed by Leslie W. Green using glazed terracotta as a facing material. By the 1970s, Regent Street had started to decline because of under-investment and competition from neighbouring areas such as Oxford Street or shopping centres away from Central London. In 2002, the Crown Estate , which owns most of Regent Street on behalf of
8280-804: Was promptly re-founded by Quintin Hogg as The Polytechnic at Regent Street. In 1970 it was amalgamated with Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce to become the Polytechnic of Central London (PCL), which in turn became the University of Westminster in 1992. The university houses the Regent Street Cinema which acted as a platform for major scientists, artists and authors such as Charles Dickens , John Henry Pepper , and The Lumière Brothers ( Auguste and Louis Lumière ) where public and private screenings of Cinématographe were shown to an audience. The cinema
8372-557: Was proprietor of the ground on which it was formed from Argyle Street up to today's Gordon Street. Andrew had died in 1759 and his tobacco empire was inherited by his son James Buchanan of Drumpellier (also twice Lord Provost of Glasgow ). The family made huge losses following the American Revolution of 1776, losing all their plantations in Virginia . The family members moved into textile manufacturing and industrial expansion. Sale of
8464-536: Was restored and reopened to the public in May 2015. All Souls Church is at the top of Regent Street next to Broadcasting House. It was built in 1823 out of Bath stone and consecrated in 1824, and is the only surviving building in Regent Street that was designed by John Nash. The Café Royal , located at 68 Regent Street in the Quadrant, was opened in 1865 by Daniel Nicols and became an institution of London high society. In 1895 Oscar Wilde argued with Frank Harris in
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