The West End of London is an area of Central London often associated with London's theatres. It is symbolically seen as one of the three poles of London: The Square Mile for finance, The City of Westminster for government (with The Whitehall and Palace of Westminster located there), and the West End for entertainment and retail.
West End is located west of the Roman walls of the City of London. It was a favoured residential area for the wealthy during the earlier centuries, as it is located upwind of the smoke drifting from the inner City. Much of West End is within the borough of the City of Westminster. The areas closest to the City is also the poorest in comparison.
The name "West End" can mean different things under different contexts. Generally, it refers to the theatre district around Leicester Square and Covent Garden, the shopping district centred on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street - although the geographically distinct shopping district of Knightsbridge would also be regarded as "West End Shopping" by some.
By the broadest definition, the inner districts of West End, developed by 1815 include Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, Fitzrovia, Holborn, Marylebone, Mayfair, Seven Dials, Soho, St James's and Westminster.
|
Regent Street
Author: Soham Banerjee (cc-by-2.0)
|
