# West End of London > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/West_End_of_London > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/West_End_of_London.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_of_London > Source revision: 1356889028 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) District of Central London, England This article is about the district of Central London, England. For the western part of London, see [West London](/source/West_London). Entertainment district, central business district in England West End of London London’s West End Entertainment district, central business district West End of London Location within Greater London London borough Camden Westminster Ceremonial county Greater London Region London Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town LONDON Postcode district W1 Postcode district WC2 Postcode district EC1, EC2 Dialling code 020 Police Metropolitan Fire London Ambulance London UK Parliament Cities of London and Westminster Holborn and St Pancras London Assembly Barnet and Camden West Central List of places UK England London 51°30′47″N 0°07′30″W / 51.51306°N 0.12500°W / 51.51306; -0.12500 London's West End and immediate vicinity The **West End of London** (commonly referred to as **the West End**) is a district of [London](/source/London), England. It is west of the [City of London](/source/City_of_London) and north of the [River Thames](/source/River_Thames), in the [London Boroughs of Camden](/source/London_Borough_of_Camden) and the [City of Westminster](/source/City_of_Westminster). It is where many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings and entertainment venues, including [West End theatres](/source/West_End_theatre), are concentrated – and as such the term "West End" is used internationally as a [metonym](/source/Metonym) for London's theatre district and associated performing arts scene – just as "[Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre)" is used to describe that of [New York City](/source/New_York_City). While the City of London is the main financial district in London, the West End is the main commercial and entertainment centre of the city. It is the largest [central business district](/source/Central_business_district) in the United Kingdom. It is one of the most expensive locations in the world in which to rent commercial and office space. ## History The two main focusses of development and activity in [medieval](/source/Medieval) [London](/source/London) were the walled [City of London](/source/City_of_London), the capital's ancient core, and [Westminster](/source/Westminster) to the west. The modern West End is very closely associated with Westminster, and largely contained within it. The term 'West End' became commonplace in the early 19th century, being used infrequently before then.[1] Lying to the west of the historic [Roman](/source/Londinium) and medieval City of London, Westminster and neighbouring areas were long favoured by the rich elite as a place of residence, because it was close to the seat of royal power at the [Palace of Westminster](/source/Palace_of_Westminster) (now home to [parliament](/source/Parliament)) and usually upwind of the smoke drifting from the crowded City.[2] In 1585, during the reign of [Elizabeth I](/source/Elizabeth_I), Westminster gained city status as the [City and Liberty of Westminster](/source/City_and_Liberty_of_Westminster). [3] The *City and Liberty of Westminster* was an extensive area south of Oxford Street, which originated as a Roman Road. In 1965 the [City of Westminster](/source/City_of_Westminster) was created, (one of the 32 [London boroughs](/source/London_borough)), and expanded to include not just Westminster (south of Oxford Street), but also [Marylebone](/source/Marylebone) and [Paddington](/source/Paddington) to the north of it. The Cities of London and Westminster kept their own distinct character and separate legal identity (for example, the City of London has its own police force and is a distinct [county](/source/County)). The City of London became a centre for the banking, financial, legal and professional sectors, while Westminster became associated with the leisure, shopping, commerce, and entertainment sectors, the government, and home to [universities](/source/Universities), museums and [embassies](/source/Embassies). [James I](/source/James_VI_and_I) wished to beautify London, and one of his early schemes to that end was the paving of [West Smithfield](/source/West_Smithfield). To help achieve this aim, he continued Elizabeth I's policy of restricting the physical growth of London. James however, was short of funds and in 1609 granted the Earl of Salisbury permission to develop his land around St Martin's Lane, in exchange for contribution to the exchequer.[4] In 1630, his son [Charles I](/source/Charles_I_of_England) was also short of money and granted the Earl of Bedford permission to develop the site of a former female monastery at [Covent Garden](/source/Covent_Garden) in Westminster. Charles sought to balance the interests of the developer with the community. In exchange for permission to develop the land, Bedford was required to pave and maintain nearby [Long Acre](/source/Long_Acre), and donate £2000 to the exchequer. The permission came with the condition that the development included a square and church and be designed by [Inigo Jones](/source/Inigo_Jones).[4] In 1638 the builder William Newton bought land west of Lincoln's Inn with the intention, much to dismay of local people angry at the loss their open spaces for Newton's private gain. King Charles allowed development on condition that a portion of the fields be retained to "frustrate the covetous and greedy endeavours of such persons as persons as daily seek to fill that small remainder of air in those parts with unnecessary and unprofitable buildings". The selection of Inigo Jones also assured a high quality development.[4] The [Great Fire of London](/source/Great_Fire_of_London) did not directly affect the West End a great deal, but the huge loss of housing in the City of London led to a building boom in the west.[5] Plaque commemorating Henry Jermyn's role in developing the West End. Located at Duke of York Street, [St James's](/source/St_James's), [Westminster](/source/Westminster). Beginning his work just before the Great Fire, [Henry Jermyn](/source/Henry_Jermyn%2C_1st_Earl_of_Saint_Albans), was instrumental in developing the [St James's](/source/St_James's) and [Mayfair](/source/Mayfair) districts of Westminster. These districts provided a fashionable new focus for western London. Jermyn would become known as the *Father of the West End*.[6] Although most of the West End was built as a series of palaces, expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment, the areas closest to the City, around [Holborn](/source/Holborn), [St Giles](/source/St_Giles%2C_London), and [Covent Garden](/source/Covent_Garden) contained poorer communities, until they were cleared and redeveloped in the 19th century.[7] In the 19th century much of central London was demolished to make way for new railway termini and their approaches. The West End avoided the worse of this with the major stations ([Charing Cross](/source/Charing_Cross_railway_station), [Marylebone](/source/Marylebone_station), [Paddington](/source/London_Paddington_station) and [Victoria](/source/London_Victoria_station)) located on the periphery of the area.[4] See also: [Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)](/source/Cities_of_London_and_Westminster_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) ## Boundaries Aldwych Theatre in London Theatreland Dragon statue on the [Temple Bar](/source/Temple_Bar%2C_London) monument, which marks the boundary between the City of Westminster and [City of London](/source/City_of_London) As the West End is a term used colloquially by Londoners and is not an official geographical or municipal definition, it is debatable which parts of inner [West London](/source/West_London) should be included. [Westminster City Council](/source/Westminster_City_Council)'s 2005 report *Vision for the West End* included the following areas in its definition: [Covent Garden](/source/Covent_Garden), [Soho](/source/Soho), [Chinatown](/source/Chinatown%2C_London), [Leicester Square](/source/Leicester_Square), the shopping streets of [Oxford Street](/source/Oxford_Street), [Regent Street](/source/Regent_Street) and [Bond Street](/source/Bond_Street), the area encompassing [Trafalgar Square](/source/Trafalgar_Square), the [Strand](/source/Strand%2C_London) and [Aldwych](/source/Aldwych), and the district known as [Theatreland](/source/Theatreland). The [Edgware Road](/source/Edgware_Road) to the north-west and the [Victoria Embankment](/source/Victoria_Embankment) to the south-east were also covered by the document but were treated as "adjacent areas" to the West End.[8] According to Ed Glinert's *West End Chronicles* (2006) the districts falling within the West End are [Mayfair](/source/Mayfair), [Soho](/source/Soho), [Covent Garden](/source/Covent_Garden), [Fitzrovia](/source/Fitzrovia) and [Marylebone](/source/Marylebone).[9] By this definition, the West End borders [Temple](/source/Temple%2C_London), [Holborn](/source/Holborn) and [Bloomsbury](/source/Bloomsbury) to the east, [Regent's Park](/source/Regent's_Park) to the north, [Paddington](/source/Paddington), [Hyde Park](/source/Hyde_Park%2C_London) and [Knightsbridge](/source/Knightsbridge) to the west, and [Victoria](/source/Victoria%2C_London) and [Westminster](/source/Westminster) to the south. Other definitions include Bloomsbury within the West End.[10] One of the [City of Westminster](/source/City_of_Westminster) [wards](/source/Wards_of_the_United_Kingdom) is called "[West End](/source/West_End_(Westminster_ward))". This electoral unit includes some of the most prosperous areas of the borough, including [Soho](/source/Soho), [Mayfair](/source/Mayfair) and parts of southern [Marylebone](/source/Marylebone).[11] The population of this ward at the 2011 Census was 10,575.[12] Until the [London Government Act 1963](/source/London_Government_Act_1963), the districts of the West End were governed by [Metropolitan boroughs](/source/Metropolitan_borough). They were subsequently administered as part of the larger [London boroughs](/source/London_boroughs) of the [City of Westminster](/source/City_of_Westminster), and the [London Borough of Camden](/source/London_Borough_of_Camden).[13] ## Notable streets Oxford Street, one of the main West End shopping areas - [Albemarle Street](/source/Albemarle_Street) - [Baker Street](/source/Baker_Street) - [Bond Street](/source/Bond_Street) - [Carnaby Street](/source/Carnaby_Street) - [Charing Cross Road](/source/Charing_Cross_Road) - [Denmark Street](/source/Denmark_Street) - [Great Marlborough Street](/source/Great_Marlborough_Street) - [Great Portland Street](/source/Great_Portland_Street) - [Harley Street](/source/Harley_Street) - [Haymarket](/source/Haymarket_(London)) - [High Holborn](/source/High_Holborn) - [Jermyn Street](/source/Jermyn_Street) - [Lisson Grove](/source/Lisson_Grove) - [Kingsway](/source/Kingsway_(London)) - [Old Compton Street](/source/Old_Compton_Street) - [Oxford Street](/source/Oxford_Street) - [Pall Mall](/source/Pall_Mall%2C_London) - [Park Lane](/source/Park_Lane) - [Piccadilly](/source/Piccadilly) - [Regent Street](/source/Regent_Street) - [Savile Row](/source/Savile_Row) - [Shaftesbury Avenue](/source/Shaftesbury_Avenue) - [Strand](/source/Strand%2C_London) - [The Mall](/source/The_Mall%2C_London) - [Wardour Street](/source/Wardour_Street) ## Notable squares and circuses The West End is laid out with many notable [public squares](/source/Squares_in_London) and circuses. Piccadilly Circus, in the heart of the West End, in September 2012 - [Berkeley Square](/source/Berkeley_Square) - [Cambridge Circus](/source/Cambridge_Circus%2C_London) - [Cavendish Square](/source/Cavendish_Square) - [Grosvenor Square](/source/Grosvenor_Square) - [Hanover Square](/source/Hanover_Square%2C_Westminster) - [Hyde Park Corner](/source/Hyde_Park_Corner) - [Leicester Square](/source/Leicester_Square) - [Manchester Square](/source/Manchester_Square) - [Marble Arch](/source/Marble_Arch) - [Oxford Circus](/source/Oxford_Circus) - [Parliament Square](/source/Parliament_Square) - [Piccadilly Circus](/source/Piccadilly_Circus) - [Portman Square](/source/Portman_Square) - [Russell Square](/source/Russell_Square) - [Soho Square](/source/Soho_Square) - [St James's Square](/source/St_James's_Square) - [St Giles Circus](/source/St_Giles_Circus) - [Trafalgar Square](/source/Trafalgar_Square) ## Transport [London Underground](/source/London_Underground) stations in the West End include: [Marble Arch](/source/Marble_Arch) - [Baker Street](/source/Baker_Street_tube_station) - [Bond Street](/source/Bond_Street_tube_station) - [Charing Cross](/source/Charing_Cross_tube_station) - [Covent Garden](/source/Covent_Garden_tube_station) - [Embankment](/source/Embankment_tube_station) - [Goodge Street](/source/Goodge_Street_tube_station) - [Great Portland Street](/source/Great_Portland_Street_tube_station) - [Green Park](/source/Green_Park_tube_station) - [Holborn](/source/Holborn_tube_station) - [Hyde Park Corner](/source/Hyde_Park_Corner_tube_station) - [Leicester Square](/source/Leicester_Square_tube_station) - [Marble Arch](/source/Marble_Arch_tube_station) - [Oxford Circus](/source/Oxford_Circus_tube_station) - [Piccadilly Circus](/source/Piccadilly_Circus_tube_station) - [Regent's Park](/source/Regent's_Park_tube_station) - [Russell Square](/source/Russell_Square_tube_station) - [Tottenham Court Road](/source/Tottenham_Court_Road_tube_station) - [Warren Street](/source/Warren_Street_tube_station) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-mills_1-0)** Mills, A., *Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names*, (2001) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Robert O. Bucholz and Joseph P. Ward: *London: A Social and Cultural History, 1550–1750*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2012, p. 333 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Westminster"](http://www.londonlives.org/static/WestminsterLocalGovernment.jsp). Retrieved 18 March 2026. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Jenkins2019_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Jenkins2019_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Jenkins2019_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Jenkins2019_4-3) Jenkins, Simon (2019). *A Short History of London*. Penguin Books. pp. 60–63. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-241-98535-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-241-98535-9). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["History of the West End of London | WestEnd.com"](https://www.westend.com/history-of-the-west-end-of-london). *www.westend.com*. Retrieved 26 July 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Style, Savile Row (30 June 2019). ["Henry Jermyn, Father of the West End"](https://savilerow-style.com/lifestyle/henry-jermyn-father-of-the-west-end/). *Savile Row Style*. Retrieved 13 May 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Historia Magazine, St Giles Rookery - [https://historiamag.com/st-giles-rookery/](https://historiamag.com/st-giles-rookery/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [*Vision for the West End*](https://web.archive.org/web/20161220103651/http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/CSU/Cabinet%20Member%20Decisions/Economic_Development_and_Transport%202003-08/2005/49%20-%20Vision%20for%20the%20West%20End/West%20End%20Vision%20final%20report%20Oct05.pdf) (PDF), Westminster City Council, October 2005, archived from [the original](http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/CSU/Cabinet%20Member%20Decisions/Economic_Development_and_Transport%202003-08/2005/49%20-%20Vision%20for%20the%20West%20End/West%20End%20Vision%20final%20report%20Oct05.pdf) (PDF) on 20 December 2016, retrieved 14 December 2016 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** E. Gilnert, West End Chronicles (Penguin, 2006) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Atkins, Peter J. "How the West End was won: the struggle to remove street barriers in Victorian London." [Journal of Historical Geography](/source/Journal_of_Historical_Geography) 19.3 (1993): 265. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Westminster City Council ward boundary information"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160825173327/http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/docstores/publications_store/2559_West%20End%20Ward_A4_NTonkin.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/docstores/publications_store/2559_West%20End%20Ward_A4_NTonkin.pdf) (PDF) on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["City of Westminstee ward population 2011"](http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13689156&c=West+End&d=14&e=62&g=6340682&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1476554268317&enc=1). *Neighbourhood Statistics*. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 October 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-plan_13-0)** Greater London Authority, *[The London Plan: The Sub Regions](http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/london_plan/lon_plan_5.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110604095551/http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/london_plan/lon_plan_5.pdf#) 4 June 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)* Wikimedia Commons has media related to [West End of London](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:West_End_of_London). v t e Sub-regions of London Central London Docklands East End East London Inner London London Riverside Lower Lea Valley North London Outer London South London South Bank West End West London London Plan sub-regions v t e Areas of London Central activities zone Bloomsbury City of London wards Holborn Marylebone Mayfair Paddington Pimlico Soho Southwark Vauxhall Waterloo Westminster Town centre network International Knightsbridge West End Metropolitan Bromley Croydon Ealing Harrow Hounslow Ilford Kingston Romford Shepherd's Bush Stratford Sutton Uxbridge Wood Green Major Angel Barking Bayswater Bexleyheath Brixton Camden Town Canary Wharf Catford Chiswick Clapham Junction Dalston East Ham Edgware Eltham Enfield Town Fulham Hammersmith Holloway Nags Head Kensington High Street Kilburn King's Road East Lewisham Orpington Peckham Putney Richmond Southall Streatham Tooting Walthamstow Wandsworth Wembley Wimbledon Woolwich Districts (principal) Acton Beckenham Belgravia Bethnal Green Brentford Camberwell Canada Water Carshalton Chadwell Heath Chingford Clapham Crystal Palace Coulsdon Cricklewood Dagenham Deptford Dulwich Edmonton Elephant and Castle Erith Feltham Finchley Forest Gate Forest Hill Golders Green Greenwich Harlesden Hampstead Harringay Hayes (Hillingdon) Hendon Hornchurch Kentish Town Leyton Mill Hill Mitcham Morden Muswell Hill New Cross New Malden Northwood Notting Hill Penge Pinner Purley Ruislip Sidcup Southgate South Norwood Stanmore Stoke Newington Surbiton Sydenham Teddington Thamesmead Tolworth Tulse Hill Twickenham Upminster Upper Norwood Wanstead Wealdstone Welling West Ham West Hampstead West Norwood Whitechapel Willesden Green Woodford Neighbourhoods (principal) Abbey Wood Alperton Anerley Archway Barnes Barnsbury Battersea Beckton Bermondsey Bow Brent Cross Brockley Canonbury Charlton Chelsea Chessington Chipping Barnet Chislehurst Clerkenwell Elmers End Gidea Park Greenford Gunnersbury Hackbridge Hackney Ham Hampton Hanwell Hanworth Harold Wood Highams Park Highbury Highgate Hillingdon Hook Holloway Hoxton Ickenham Isle of Dogs Isleworth Islington Kensal Green Kew Lambeth Manor Park Mortlake Neasden Northolt Nunhead Plaistow (Newham) Poplar Roehampton Rotherhithe Seven Kings Seven Sisters Shoreditch Stamford Hill Stepney St Helier Surrey Quays Tottenham Upper and Lower Clapton Upper Holloway Walworth Wapping West Drayton Worcester Park Yiewsley Fictional Canley (borough) (The Bill: TV soap) Charnham (suburb) (Family Affairs: TV soap) London Below (magical realm) (Neverwhere: TV series, novel) Walford (borough) (EastEnders: TV soap) Authority control databases International VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Israel Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [West End of London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_of_London) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_of_London?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.