Oxford street (Oxford Street (W1))

Member Name: EarthGirl

Product:	Oxford Street (W1)
Date:	18/10/00 (502 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots and lots of shops

Disadvantages: dirty, smelly , crowded

Oxford street is smelly, dirty and crowded. It is also a great place to shop.

One of the best things about shopping on oxford street is that most of the bigger shops eg: Dorothy Perkins have several branches along the length of oxford street so if they don't have what you want in one shop you can pop down to another, or get someone to phone around the other shops for you.
Oxford street has all the high street stores as well as numerous independents which are mostly between Totenham court road and Regent Street and several department stores (inc. Selfridges, John Lewis, and Debenhams) between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus. There is also the Plaza Shopping Center which is mid way between oxford circus and Totenham court road, it's not very big but has a food court with about 7 different fast food outlets; it also has the only WH Smiths on oxford street.

If you are looking for designer labels Bond street is midway between Marble Arch and Oxford Circus (next to Bond Street tube station!!!). It has all the designer stores, and you'll need to take out a bank loan to buy any thing.

Getting to Oxford street is easy as there is plenty of public transport. There are 4 tube stations on Oxford street (Totenham court road, Oxford Circus, Bond Street and Marble arch ) and about 15 bus routes running along its length. (Phone London Transport for details)
Oxford street starts at Marble Arch and ends at Totenham court road and is cut in half by Regent Street.

What to watch out for:
1.Cyclists; when you are crossing the road beware as they come zooming out of nowhere and are very easy to crash into(I know from experience).
2. Pick Pockets
3. People begging on the street, there are a lot of genuine homeless people in London and also a lot of professional beggars who are not homeless at all. Generally it is quite easy to tell them apart as genuine homeless people are usually ether selling the big issue magazi
ne (they will always have a Big Issue ID Card) or look homeless (cue: scruffy dog and a sleeping bag/blanket - alot hang out by a cash machines to guilt you into giving them money). The bogus beggars are normally gypsies and speak little or very bad English and will often present you with a piece of paper with a plea for money written on it, a lot of the women will have very young kids in tow.
4.Del boy traders selling perfume on the street it's not real so don't buy it unless you like your neck turning green or developing a nasty rash.

Summary: