thumb|London's West End and immediate vicinity

The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of London, England. It is west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, in the London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster. It is where many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings and entertainment venues, including West End theatres, are concentratedand as such the term "West End" is used internationally as a metonym for London's theatre district and associated performing arts scenejust as "Broadway" is used to describe that of New York City.

While the City of London is the main financial district in London, the West End is the main commercial and entertainment centre of the city. It is the largest central business district in the United Kingdom. It is one of the most expensive locations in the world in which to rent commercial and office space.

History

The two main focusses of development and activity in medieval London were the walled City of London, the capital's ancient core, and Westminster to the west. The modern West End is very closely associated with Westminster, and largely contained within it. The term 'West End' became commonplace in the early 19th century, being used infrequently before then.

Lying to the west of the historic Roman and medieval City of London, Westminster and neighbouring areas were long favoured by the rich elite as a place of residence, because it was close to the seat of royal power at the Palace of Westminster (now home to parliament) and usually upwind of the smoke drifting from the crowded City.

In 1585, during the reign of Elizabeth I, Westminster gained city status as the City and Liberty of Westminster. The City and Liberty of Westminster was an extensive area south of Oxford Street, which originated as a Roman Road. In 1965 the City of Westminster was created, (one of the 32 London boroughs), and expanded to include not just Westminster (south of Oxford Street), but also Marylebone and Paddington to the north of it.

The Cities of London and Westminster kept their own distinct character and separate legal identity (for example, the City of London has its own police force and is a distinct county). The City of London became a centre for the banking, financial, legal and professional sectors, while Westminster became associated with the leisure, shopping, commerce, and entertainment sectors, the government, and home to universities, museums and embassies.

James I wished to beautify London, and one of his early schemes to that end was the paving of West Smithfield. To help achieve this aim, he continued Elizabeth I's policy of restricting the physical growth of London. James however, was short of funds and in 1609 granted the Earl of Salisbury permission to develop his land around St Martin's Lane, in exchange for contribution to the exchequer.

In 1630, his son Charles I was also short of money and granted the Earl of Bedford permission to develop the site of a former female monastery at Covent Garden in Westminster. Charles sought to balance the interests of the developer with the community. In exchange for permission to develop the land, Bedford was required to pave and maintain nearby Long Acre, and donate £2000 to the exchequer. The permission came with the condition that the development included a square and church and be designed by Inigo Jones.

thumb|Plaque commemorating Henry Jermyn's role in developing the West End. Located at Duke of York Street, [[St James's, Westminster.]]

Beginning his work just before the Great Fire, Henry Jermyn, was instrumental in developing the St James's and Mayfair districts of Westminster. These districts provided a fashionable new focus for western London. Jermyn would become known as the Father of the West End.

Although most of the West End was built as a series of palaces, expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment, the areas closest to the City, around Holborn, St Giles, and Covent Garden contained poorer communities, until they were cleared and redeveloped in the 19th century.

In the 19th century much of central London was demolished to make way for new railway termini and their approaches. The West End avoided the worse of this with the major stations (Charing Cross, Marylebone, Paddington and Victoria) located on the periphery of the area.

According to Ed Glinert's West End Chronicles (2006) the districts falling within the West End are Mayfair, Soho, Covent Garden, Fitzrovia and Marylebone. By this definition, the West End borders Temple, Holborn and Bloomsbury to the east, Regent's Park to the north, Paddington, Hyde Park and Knightsbridge to the west, and Victoria and Westminster to the south. Other definitions include Bloomsbury within the West End.

One of the City of Westminster wards is called "West End". This electoral unit includes some of the most prosperous areas of the borough, including Soho, Mayfair and parts of southern Marylebone. The population of this ward at the 2011 Census was 10,575.

Until the London Government Act 1963, the districts of the West End were governed by Metropolitan boroughs. They were subsequently administered as part of the larger London boroughs of the City of Westminster, and the London Borough of Camden.

Notable streets

thumb|160px|Oxford Street, one of the main West End shopping areas

  • Albemarle Street
  • Baker Street
  • Bond Street
  • Carnaby Street
  • Charing Cross Road
  • Denmark Street
  • Great Marlborough Street
  • Great Portland Street
  • Harley Street
  • Haymarket
  • High Holborn
  • Jermyn Street
  • Lisson Grove
  • Kingsway
  • Old Compton Street
  • Oxford Street
  • Pall Mall
  • Park Lane
  • Piccadilly
  • Regent Street
  • Savile Row
  • Shaftesbury Avenue
  • Strand
  • The Mall
  • Wardour Street

Notable squares and circuses

The West End is laid out with many notable public squares and circuses.

thumb|Piccadilly Circus, in the heart of the West End, in September 2012

  • Berkeley Square
  • Cambridge Circus
  • Cavendish Square
  • Grosvenor Square
  • Hanover Square
  • Hyde Park Corner
  • Leicester Square
  • Manchester Square
  • Marble Arch
  • Oxford Circus
  • Parliament Square
  • Piccadilly Circus
  • Portman Square
  • Russell Square
  • Soho Square
  • St James's Square
  • St Giles Circus
  • Trafalgar Square

Transport

London Underground stations in the West End include:

thumb|[[Marble Arch]]

  • Baker Street
  • Bond Street
  • Charing Cross
  • Covent Garden
  • Embankment
  • Goodge Street
  • Great Portland Street
  • Green Park
  • Holborn
  • Hyde Park Corner
  • Leicester Square
  • Marble Arch
  • Oxford Circus
  • Piccadilly Circus
  • Regent's Park
  • Russell Square
  • Tottenham Court Road
  • Warren Street

References