16 Facts About Oxford Street

1.

Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus.

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2.

Unlike nearby shopping streets such as Bond Oxford Street, it has retained an element of downmarket trading alongside more prestigious retail stores.

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3.

Oxford Street follows the route of a Roman road, the Via Trinobantina, which linked Calleva Atrebatum with Camulodunum via London and became one of the major routes in and out of the city.

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4.

Oxford Street became popular for entertainment including bear-baiters, theatres and public houses.

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5.

The gallows were removed in 1783, and by the end of the century, Oxford Street was built up from St Giles Circus to Park Lane, containing a mix of residential houses and entertainment.

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6.

Oxford Street changed in character from residential to retail towards the end of the 19th century.

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7.

The store was damaged again on 6 December 1944 after a V2 rocket exploded on nearby Duke Oxford Street, causing its Christmas tree displays to collapse into the street outside.

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8.

Oxford Street was again targeted by the IRA in August 1975; an undiscovered bomb that had been booby trapped exploded without any injuries.

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9.

Oxford Street is home to a number of major department stores and flagship retail outlets, containing over 300 shops as of 2012.

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10.

New West End Company, formerly the Oxford Street Association, oversees stores and trade along the street; its objective is to make the place safe and desirable for shoppers.

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11.

Oxford Street is served by major bus routes and by four tube stations of the London Underground.

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12.

Oxford Street has been ranked as the most important retail location in Britain and the busiest shopping street in Europe.

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13.

In 2014, a report by a scientist at King's College London showed that Oxford Street had the world's highest concentration of nitrogen dioxide pollution, at 135 micrograms per cubic metre of air .

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14.

In 2012, an analysis of crime statistics revealed that Oxford Street was the shopping destination most surrounded by crime in the UK.

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15.

Oxford Street is one of the London poet Letitia Elizabeth Landon's Scenes in London.

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16.

Oxford Street is a square on the British Monopoly game board, part of the green set .

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