ART: London's West End

London's West End houses some of the major theaters of London, so much so that the term ‘West End’ has now became synonymous with the London theatre scene. There is not only a wide variety of theatres in the West End but also many cinemas, clubs, shops and restaurants.

London's West End has been a popular place of residence among the rich and famous and most of the area comes under the City of Westminster. The West End developed through the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where Royal palaces, expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment sprung up all over the area.

Oxford Street, Regent Street, Charing Cross Road, Bond Street, The Strand are some the most famous streets linking to Trafalgar Square, Berkeley Square, Grosvenor Square, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus. The main shopping areas are Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Bond Street and around Knightsbridge. Liberty's, Selfridges, Harrods, John Lewis and Debenham's are the five biggest department stores. Since it opened in 1875, Liberty’s has captured the hearts of shoppers around the world and it’s housed in two magnificent buildings. At Liberty's you can shop till you drop for cutting-edge style; from cosmetics and jewellery through to home and fashion.

Most of the commercial theaters of London are located in the West End. These include St Martin’s Theatre, Queen’s Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Fortune Theatre, Prince of Wales Theatre, Dominion Theatre, Savoy Theatre and Cambridge Theatre. The theaters at the West End have a history of long running shows like The Mousetrap at St Martin's Theatre is running for 54 Years and The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre is running for 20 Years.

London's West End also boasts some many famous bars and cubs including Alphabet Bar located at Beak Street which is a great place for enjoying cocktails. The Corner Store at Wellington Street offers everything you want from drinks to dance and food. This place gives you a very relaxing atmosphere. The Coach and Horses at Greek Street had been popular among the famous writers and actors in the past.