With on-off discussions about making Oxford Street partially or fully pedestrian seemingly endless, Retail Week looks at some of the international locations that have adopted people-first approaches and what it could mean for London’s West End.

Marble Arch Mound

The Marble Arch Mound has not lived up to expectations so far 

Oxford Street is sick, and it turns out that a big lump of earth and trees wasn’t the cure. While the ill-fated Marble Arch Mound has so far attracted more mockery than visitors, Westminster City Council’s rationale is understandable: in decline for a number of years, the pandemic kicked London’s most famous retail street while it was down.

What’s more, it is not alone. The world’s premier shopping streets are enduring a tough time that goes far beyond the lockdowns and loss of international visitors.

Political upheaval in Hong Kong, a slew of famous retailers going bust or opting out of New York’s Fifth Avenue and The Magnificent Mile in Chicago, and an existential crisis along the Champs-Élysées have rocked previously imperious shopping avenues.

But Oxford Street stands out, with data showing that footfall there has been the hardest hit of Europe’s six biggest retail high streets over the past year and estimates that there are around 85 vacancies out of the circa 350-400 stores that line it.

However, Ikea’s anticipated takeover of Topshop’s former flagship store is a reminder of the long-term attraction of the shopping destination.

Cushman & Wakefield’s head of UK retail and leisure Dominic Bouvet says the real-estate firm has registered an uptick in interest from international brands in the location in recent months.

Indeed, New West End Company (NWEC) chief executive Jace Tyrell says the Business Improvement District predicts “around a third of retailers along the street will be different within the next five years”.

Nevertheless, it is clear that a more dramatic transformation is needed if Oxford Street is to retain its status as one of the UK’s prime shopping destinations.

With this in mind, there have been long-running discussions to transform the Oxford Circus road junction into two car-free piazzas with trees and seating, led by Westminster City Council and The Crown Estate, with the Royal Institute of British Architects coordinating an international design competition to deliver the final scheme.

“It’s right for the council to step back and take time to think about what it wants to do in terms of pedestrianisation permanently, rather than with short-term initiatives”

Jace Tyrell, NWEC

The project forms part of a wider redesign of Oxford Street, responding to changing shopping and working habits hastened by the pandemic, a need for greener public spaces and the arrival of the new Crossrail Elizabeth Line.

“With so much going on, I think it’s right for the council to step back and take time to think about what it wants to do in terms of pedestrianisation permanently, rather than with short-term initiatives,” says Tyrell.

“It’s complicated because we have to acknowledge that there are commercial streets, there has to be public transport and there are residents.”

There are UK precedents. Since it excluded vehicles in 1978, Buchanan Street has propelled Glasgow to become the UK’s second-biggest shopping district, while London’s trendy Carnaby Street and Covent Garden continue to perform strongly.

So, as Oxford Street edges towards pedestrianisation, what lessons and inspiration can be drawn from international locations that have done so successfully? 

Little Island, New York, US

Little Island is not actually a pedestrian area but a new park space adjacent to a popular retail and dining area in Manhattan – and no doubt an inspiration for the Marble Arch Mound, along with the hugely popular High Line (a 1.45-mile-long elevated linear park created on a former New York Central Railroad spur).

1 Little Island from The Whitney

This May, Little Island, on New York’s Hudson River, debuted thanks to a $260m donation from billionaire media mogul Barry Diller. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick and featuring an amphitheatre, park space and food and beverage offerings, it is built on the pillars of the former Pier 54, connected via walkway to the Meatpacking District and nearby Chelsea Market.

Cushman’s Bouvet adds that Oxford Street currently does not make the most of its western extremity and that any future plans should consider how Hyde Park could be better connected to the Marble Arch stores.

“Hyde Park is under-utilised; I would love to see Oxford Street and Hyde Park linked, especially given the emphasis on wellbeing and mental health”

Dominic Bouvet, Cushman & Wakefield 

“Hyde Park is under-utilised; I would love to see Oxford Street and Hyde Park linked, especially given the emphasis on wellbeing and mental health,” says Bouvet.

“Right now, they seem very disconnected and it would be a huge boon to the area to make more of it. We always look at nearby green spaces whenever we get an instruction.”

Why it works: New York’s neglected lower- to mid-west area has been revitalised by a number of key developments, most recently Hudson Yards. Little Island adds to the momentum, provides a small, green lung and a chilled-out public space.

Lessons for London: Little Island has a clear raison d’être that was lacking from the Marble Arch Mound. However, Oxford Street could exploit its green spaces – especially Hyde Park – much better. Major landlords The Crown Estate and Grosvenor have been greening areas of the West End, Hanover Gardens has just reopened and Tyrell says plans are afoot for a “green walking route” to give pedestrians a more serene route across the West End.

2 Strøget,_Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s Strøget is one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in the world 

Strøget, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Levande Stockholm, Sweden

It’s no surprise that northern Europe has led the way in reducing the presence of vehicles. One of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in the world, Strøget, spans 1.1km of Copenhagen’s historic centre, from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv.

The pedestrianised area is technically a collection of streets, having eliminated vehicles in 1962. Today, Strøget is popular for its mix of high-end brands and fashion stores such as H&M and Zara.

Meanwhile, for the past few summers, Stockholm has turned a number of its streets into pedestrian zones. Distributed around the capital, each year the city adds more streets and squares, allowing restaurants and bars to put out larger outdoor seating areas.

The project is called Levande Stockholm (which translates as an ‘alive/vibrant Stockholm’) and includes the streets Rörstrandsgatan, Nybrogatan and Humlegårdsgatan among the more retail-focused.

“It goes to show that these types of initiatives can work, even in a climate like that of Scandinavia, and they are enthusiastically received,” says Bouvet of the advantages of an alfresco strategy for London.

“People want to see action, rather than just words. We can align the interests of the residents and businesses because everyone wants clean air”

Jace Tyrell, NWEC

Tyrell also wants a “pedestrian-first” approach and adds: “It’s why the strategy to work with Transport for London and Westminster City Council to deliver London’s first zero-emissions transport zone by 2025 is so important.

9 Rörstrandsgatan_Stockholm

Rörstrandsgatan is part of the Levande Stockholm pedestrianisation project

“I think people want to see action, rather than just words. One additional positive is that we can align the interests of the residents and businesses because everyone wants clean air.”

Why it works: As British consumers catch up on sustainability, the message from northern Europe is clear: people enjoy the calm of being away from the buzz of cars, even in cooler climes.

Lessons for London: Relaxed planning constraints are ending for much alfresco activity in the West End, which is going to pit residents against businesses. The West End needs to find a happy medium because a retail revival in London’s neighbourhoods and a long-term swing away from the daily commute is heating up the competition. “If there are fewer people, we need them to stay longer,” says Tyrell.

8 Hosier_Lane_Melbourne._laneways

Melbourne’s laneways are now a popular cultural attraction 

Laneways, Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne’s Central Business District is home to the ‘laneways’, a series of narrow streets and pedestrian paths mostly hailing from the Victorian era and a popular cultural attraction. The bodies behind London’s West End have taken an active interest in this area as they look to refine their own approach.

The city’s oldest laneways are the product of Melbourne’s original urban plan, the 1837 Hoddle Grid. Among the shopping arcades, the best known include Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, with special mention going to AC/DC Lane, named after Australia’s favourite rockers.

The revitalisation began in the early 1990s when both city and state worked to protect and upgrade the remaining laneways as part of a larger regeneration intended to bring people back to the city after work hours.

The streets were cleaned up, and active street frontages and mixed-use development were encouraged. The city also worked with universities to encourage the large international student population to live in the city and bring cultural diversity to public areas, according to the Global Designing Cities Initiative.

Small local retailers were encouraged to take up laneway spaces facing the street, while evening activity was encouraged with incentives for retailers to extend opening hours.

Why it works: The laneways are a great example of a public initiative that proved collaborative and drew in a variety of stakeholders to help develop the project, meaning that it attained an independent and edgy feel rather than being homogenised.

Lessons for London: In fairness, NWEC has done a great job in working with partners and retailers to drive the area forward, but the headache on Oxford Street lies in the diversity of its landlords, all with their own agendas. Melbourne is an example of what can happen when everyone pulls in the same direction – easier said than done.

Calle de Fuencarral, Madrid, Spain

10 decathlon_fuencarral

Decathlon anchors one section of Calle Fuencarral, Madrid 

Stretching northward between Calle Gran Vía and the Monument to Quevedo circle, Calle Fuencarral is a quirky, modern shopping street popular for its mix of big brands and alternative fashion designers.

Featuring tattoo parlours as well as Asian boutiques, cool cafes and restaurants, Calle Fuencarral has a bohemian feel and rents have soared since it was partly pedestrianised.

It has also attracted investors and new brands. Real-estate firm AEW acquired the Mercado de Fuencarral in 2017 and converted it from a small mall and market into a home for Decathlon, which effectively anchors one section of the street.

Mango, Diesel, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger are all near neighbours, while this summer New Balance moved in with its Madrid flagship to what the US sportswear retailer called: “A location on the benchmark shopping street in the capital, part of the brand’s new strategy, focused on a young, fashion-conscious, urban consumer.”

Why it works: Already a retail location, switching to a pedestrian zone made Calle de Fuencarral a calmer space in a bustling city, while arriving brands proved a magnet for others.

Lessons for London: So far, this small enclave of Madrid has been a good advert for investors, who have upgraded buildings and created the infrastructure for major brands. Oxford Street is currently a hotchpotch of flagships and temporary lets and is in desperate need of some sections, notably around the department stores, being upgraded. 

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