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Regent Street

Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton. It runs from Waterloo Place in St James's at the southern end, through Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus, to All Souls Church. From there Langham Place and Portland Place continue the route to Regent's Park.

Regent Street
Looking north along Regent Street in April 2011, with Union Flags hung to celebrate the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Location within Central London
Part ofA4, A4201
NamesakeGeorge, Prince Regent of the United Kingdom
Maintained byTransport for London
Length0.8 mi (1.3 km)
LocationLondon, United Kingdom
Nearest tube station
Coordinates51°30′39″N 0°08′19″W / 51.5108°N 0.1387°W / 51.5108; -0.1387
Construction
Other
DesignerJohn Nash, James Burton
Known for
Websitewww.regentstreetonline.com

The street's layout was completed in 1825 and was an early example of town planning in England, replacing earlier roads including Swallow Street. Nash and Burton's street layout has survived, although all the original buildings except All Souls Church have been replaced following reconstruction in the late 19th century.[1] The street is known for its flagship retail stores, including Liberty, Hamleys, Jaeger and the Apple Store. The Royal Polytechnic Institution, now the University of Westminster, has been based on Regent Street since 1838.

Route edit

Regent Street is approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 km) long and begins at a junction with Charles II Street as a continuation of Waterloo Place.[a] It runs north to Piccadilly Circus, where it turns left before curving round the Quadrant to head north again, meeting Oxford Street at Oxford Circus.[3] It ends at a junction with Cavendish Place and Mortimer Street near the BBC Broadcasting House, with the road ahead being Langham Place, followed by Portland Place.[4]

The southern section of the road is one-way northbound and part of the A4, a major road through West London. From Piccadilly Circus northwards, it is numbered A4201, though in common with roads inside the London congestion charging zone, the number does not appear on signs.[4]

Nearby tube stations are Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus;[4] the lattermost being one of the busiest underground stations in London,[5] and is where three main lines (Central, Bakerloo and Victoria) meet.[6] Several bus routes, such as 6, 12, and 13, run along Regent Street.[7]

 
Panoramic view of Oxford Circus; the location where Oxford Street meets Regent Street

History edit

Beginnings: 1811–1825 edit

 
Regent Street proposal, published 1813, titled "PLAN, presented to the House of Commons, of a STREET proposed from CHARING CROSS to PORTLAND PLACE, leading to the Crown Estate in Marylebone Park"

Regent Street was one of the first planned developments of London. An ordered structure of London streets, replacing the mediaeval layout, had been planned since just after the Great Fire of London (1666) when Sir Christopher Wren and John Evelyn drew plans for rebuilding the city on the classical formal model. After a lack of progress, houses were rebuilt on the old street network anyway.[8]

In 1766, John Gwynn complained in London and Westminster Improved that there was a lack of planning throughout the West End and that it would be useful to construct a thoroughfare linking Marylebone Park (now Regent's Park) with the Prince Regent's Carlton House. John Fordyce was appointed as Surveyor-General to the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1793 and concluded that there should be a suitable road in place by 1811, when the lease for Marylebone Park ran out and ownership reverted to the Crown. It was hoped the road could link Pall Mall and the Haymarket, which had declined and became downmarket. A further problem was increased congestion around Charing Cross, which would benefit from road improvements.[9]

The street was designed by John Nash (who had been appointed to the Office of Woods and Forests in 1806 and previously served as an adviser to the Prince Regent) and by developer James Burton.[10] Nash proposed his own plans for the street in 1810 following the death of Fordyce,[9] envisioning broad, architecturally distinguished thoroughfares and public spaces, and [11] planned to construct a straight boulevard as seen in French cities, but this was not possible because of land ownership issues.[12] Nash's final design resulted in a road situated further west than on previous plans, and Nash believed the road would run down a de facto line separating the upper classes and nobility in Mayfair with the working class in Soho.[9]

 
The Quadrant, Regent Street in 1837, seen from Piccadilly Circus. The buildings have since been replaced

The construction of the northern section of the New Street involved demolishing most of the existing Swallow Street, which had become run down and was an ideal candidate for regeneration.[13] The road was designed to curve east between Oxford Street and Piccadilly so that it did not meet St James's Square, and the circuses allowed visual continuity down the street.[9] The central section, known as the Quadrant, was designed for "shops appropriated to articles of fashion and taste," and was Nash's centrepiece for the street. It was built with a colonnade of cast-iron columns, allowing commuters to walk along the street without having to face bad weather. The buildings along the Quadrant had different facades, a deliberate choice by Nash to break away from the uniform design of the previous century and a pragmatic means of using what building materials were available and what clients wanted.[14] The road was planned to end outside Carlton House in Pall Mall, the residence of the Prince of Wales.[12] Nash insisted that businesses on the street would be of high-quality to rival nearby Bond Street; common trades such as butchers or greengrocers were not allowed.[15]

The design was adopted by an Act of Parliament in 1813, which permitted the commissioners to borrow £600,000 for building and construction. The street was intended for commercial purposes and it was expected that most of the income would come from private capital. Nash took responsibility for design and valuation of all properties.[9] Construction of the road required demolishing numerous properties, disrupting trade and polluting the air with dust.[16] Existing tenants had first offer to purchase leases on the new properties.[14] The Treasury supported the proposal because, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, there was an urgent need for the government to create jobs. Government expenditure was low because the design relied heavily on private developers, such as Nash himself.[17] The buildings were let on 99-year leases, as was common at the time, and income could be recouped in the form of ground rent.[18]

James Burton edit

James Burton, the pre-eminent Georgian London property developer, designed and constructed 191 of the houses of Regent Street, and their joining archways.[19] Five of the largest blocks of Regent Street were purchased by Burton in 1817.[20] Burton's houses on Regent Street are No. 4 to No. 12; No. 17 to No. 25; No. 106 to No. 128; No. 132 to No. 154; No. 133 to No. 167; No. 171 to No. 195; and No. 295 to No. 319.[19] These were built, together with Carlton Chambers, between 1817 and 1820.[19] Burton also built between Leicester Street and No. 129 Swallow Street in 1820.[19] Burton built the east side of Regent Street in 1821, and the west side of Regent Street, specifically the part between the Quadrant and Oxford Street, and its archways, in 1822.[19] Burton built north of Old Burlington Street, and the east side of the street between Chapel Court and the entrance to the King Street Chapel SW1, in 1822.[19] Burton also designed and built Regent Street St. James (Lower Regent Street),[21][20] and Waterloo Place, St. James's,[22][20][19] whose facades he modelled on those of the Place Vendome in Paris, between 1815 and 1816.[19]

Other architects edit

The vast majority of the street was designed by Nash or Burton.[19] However, a few buildings were designed by Charles Robert Cockerell, Sir John Soane, or others. By 1819, the Crown was receiving regular rent and the street was becoming established.[14] At first, it was named New Street and became a dividing line between Soho, which had declined socially and economically, and the fashionable squares and streets of Mayfair to the west.[23] Carlton House was demolished after completion of the works in 1829 and was replaced by Carlton House Terrace, designed by Nash and the son of James Burton, Decimus Burton.[24][12] Regent Street was the first shopping area in Britain to support late night opening in 1850, when shopkeepers agreed to keep stores open until 7pm.[25]

Rebuilding: 1895–1927 edit

 
View northwards from junction with Vigo Street and Glasshouse Street, c. 1910 (from an old postcard)

During the 19th century, Regent Street became established as the "centre of fashion." Shops expanded into multiple properties, selling imported and exotic products to appeal to niche consumers.[14] By the end of the century, fashions had changed and the original buildings were small and old fashioned, restricting trade.[26] The colonnade constructed by Nash was demolished in the mid-19th century for fear it might attract "doubtful characters."[23] Other buildings were not up to modern building standards; some had been extended and were structurally suspect.[12] As the 99-year leases came to an end, Regent Street was redeveloped between 1895 and 1927 under the control of the Office of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues (now known as the Crown Estate).[1][27]

 
Photograph of Regent Street in 1942, facing Piccadilly Circus

The modern Regent Street is the result of this redevelopment. No original structures survive except south of Oxford Circus for some Nash-designed sewers.[25] The current design is an example of the Beaux Arts approach to urban design: an assembly of separate buildings on a grand scale, designed to harmonise and produce an impressive overall effect.[28] Strict rules governed the reconstruction.[26] Each block had to be designed with a continuous unifying street façade and finished in Portland stone.[28] The first redevelopment was Regent House, just south of Oxford Circus. The stylistic tone for the rebuilding was set by Sir Reginald Blomfield's Quadrant.[27]

The architect Norman Shaw, then aged 73, was brought in to draw up proposals for the Circus and the Quadrant after early plans were considered unsatisfactory. His scheme was approved in principle but subject to indecision and dispute, both on property acquisition and retailers' demand for bigger display windows.[26] Shaw's design for the Piccadilly Hotel was completed in 1908 with modifications, while the Quadrant was rebuilt by Blomfield, adapting Shaw's designs. The work started in 1923 and was completed by 1928.[27] Significantly, no accommodation was built above any of the retail properties, contributing to the demise of the West End as a place of residence.[29] A limited number of architects were responsible for the redesigned street, including Sir John James Burnet,[30] Arthur Joseph Davis[31] and Henry Tanner.[32]

 
The Bakerloo line, opened in 1906, follows Regent Street for part of its underground course

The Work was delayed by World War I[26] and not finished until 1927. Its completion was marked by King George V and Queen Mary driving in state along its length.[29] The only remaining Nash building is All Souls Church and all the buildings on the street are at least Grade II listed. All the properties are in the Regent Street Conservation Area.[33]

Meanwhile, the Bakerloo line of the London Underground was built running under the street for part of its course from 1902 until 1906, when it was opened on 10 March that year.[34] The line's entrance at Oxford Circus tube station, near Argyll Street, was designed by Leslie W. Green using glazed terracotta as a facing material.[35]

Crown Estate redevelopment edit

By the 1970s, Regent Street had started to decline because of under-investment and competition from neighbouring areas such as Oxford Street or shopping centres away from Central London. In 2002, the Crown Estate, which owns most of Regent Street on behalf of the monarch, started a major redevelopment programme.[36] In 2013 the Estate sold a quarter of the 270,000-square-foot (25,000 m2) Regent Street Quadrant 3 building to the Norwegian Oil Fund,[37] while later that year, Hackett London bought the lease for the Ferrari store on Regent Street for £4m. Smaller shops have been replaced by larger units; the street is now the flagship location of several major brands, including Apple and Banana Republic.[36]

The largest part of the plan was the reconstruction of the Quadrant close to Piccadilly Circus, which was completed in 2011. It offers 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of office space spanning over seven floors. Two Art Deco-designed restaurants have also been restored, and the development includes a small number of apartments.[38] The Crown Estate moved its own headquarters from Carlton House Terrace to Regent Street in 2006.[39]

 
The Quadrant on Regent Street, leading to Piccadilly Circus[b]

Properties edit

Retail edit

 
Dickins and Jones formerly occupied the block between Little Argyll Street and Great Marlborough Street.

The department store Dickins and Jones was established at No. 54 Oxford Street as Dickins and Smith before moving to Nos. 232–234 Regent Street in 1835. It was renamed to Dickins and Jones in the 1890s after John Pritchard Jones became a business partner, and by the turn of the 20th century employed over 200 people. It became part of the Harrods group in 1914, and expanded to cover Nos. 224–244 in 1922, in a new building designed by Sir Henry Tanner. In 1959, House of Fraser took over the store by buying the Harrods group.[40] In 2005, House of Fraser announced that the store would close the following year, after it had been making a loss for several years and not kept up with more fashion-conscious department stores elsewhere. The building has been redeveloped with small shop units on the lower floors and flats and offices above.[40][41]

 
Liberty is at the junction of Regent Street with Great Marlborough Street

The Liberty department store is based at Nos. 210–220. It was founded by entrepreneur Arthur Lasenby Liberty, who had been inspired by the 1862 International Exhibition and wanted to open an oriental warehouse. He opened his first shop, East India House in 1875 at No. 218a, selling silk garments and various oriental goods. The shop expanded into other properties on Regent Street in the 1880s, separated by a jeweller's shop which was bridged by a double staircase called the "Camel's Back." Liberty later took over all of Nos. 140–150 Regent Street.[42] In 1925, this complex was replaced by two new buildings, and a mock tudor building (built by architects Edwin T. Hall and his son Edwin S. Hall, constructed from the timbers of two ships, HMS Impregnable, and HMS Hindustan on neighbouring Great Marlborough Street connected by a footbridge over Kingly Street, which separates the properties.[42]

 
Hamleys Store in Regent Street (centre), next door to Jaeger (left).

The toy store Hamleys is at No. 188 Regent Street, just south of Oxford Circus. It was founded as Noah's Ark at No. 231 High Holborn in 1760.[43] An additional branch opened at Nos. 64–66 Regent Street in 1881, while the original High Holborn building burned down in 1901, moving to Nos. 86–87. The store was frequently the first to market the latest games and toys, and became a strong seller of table tennis equipment in the late 19th century, allowing the sport to become popular. The business moved to Nos. 200–202,[44] and moved to the current address in 1981. It claims to be the largest toy shop in the world.[45]

The main London branch of the clothing store Jaeger was at Nos. 200–206 Regent Street. It was founded in 1884 by Lewis Tomalin, who was inspired by naturalist Gustav Jäger's pioneering use of anti-animal fibre-based clothing. The first shop, on Fore Street, had "Doctor Jaeger's Sanitary Woollen System" inscribed above the door. Oscar Wilde was a regular visitor to the shop. Henry Morton Stanley is known to have worn Jaeger clothing during his search for David Livingstone in Africa, as is Robert Falcon Scott on his fated trip to the South Pole. The company moved to Regent Street in 1935;[46] it moved out in January 2016.

 
The Apple Store on Regent Street

The Apple Store opened on Regent Street on 20 November 2004. At the time, this was the first such store in Europe,[47] with the others being in the United States and Japan. It was the largest Apple store worldwide until the opening of an even larger store in Covent Garden in August 2010.[48] The building that houses the store is a grade II listed building built in 1898 for Venetian mosaicist Antonio Salviati.[49]

 
The Quadrant viewed from the north in 2009: Austin Reed occupies the building on the right, with Aquascutum facing it to the left.

Austin Reed's flagship store was at Nos. 103–113 Regent Street for more than 85 years, having moved there in 1911.[50] It had an atrium at its centre, housing glass lifts allowing viewing across all floors. The lower ground floor sold womenswear and also housed Austin's, the refurbished Art Deco Barber Shop.[51] In May 2011, the British fashion retailer Superdry announced it would move into the building, paying £12m for the lease. In return, Austin Reed moved to the former Aquascutum shop on the other side of the road.[52] In 2016, Austin Reed filed for administration, ending over 100 years' presence on Regent Street.[53]

Aquascutum, first established in Mayfair in 1851, opened its flagship store at 100 Regent Street in 1895.[54] It closed on 7 August 2011.[55] Swan and Edgar moved their haberdashery business into the newly-developed Regent Street in the 1820s; they first opened at number 49, and by 1848 had expanded into 45-51. The premises, which included a prominent frontage on Piccadilly Circus, were rebuilt by Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1910-20. The department store closed down in 1982.[56]

Hedges and Butler, wine and spirits merchant established in 1667, moved into 153 Regent Street in 1819 and stayed there for a little under 200 years.[56] Since 2014 the premises have been occupied by Watches of Switzerland.[57]

Broadcasting edit

 
Broadcasting House is immediately north of the top end of Regent Street, and has been used by the BBC since 1932

Immediately north of Regent Street is the BBC's headquarters, Broadcasting House, whose front entrance is in Langham Place. Several national radio stations are broadcast from this building. The site had formerly been a building on the gardens of Foley House designed by James Wyatt and called Wyatt's House. It was demolished in 1928 (with much of the fixtures ending up in the Victoria and Albert Museum) to construct Broadcasting House. Construction was challenging because the building had to be visually similar to other properties on Regent Street, yet also contain over twenty soundproofed studios. The exterior is built of Portland stone and above the front entrance is a sculpture by Eric Gill.[58]

Broadcasting House was first used by the BBC on 2 May 1932, and total construction costs were £350,000. It was too small for all services, and St George's Hall, next to All Souls, was used for variety broadcasts until it was demolished during the Blitz. On 15 October 1940, the building took a direct hit, killing seven people, and later that year a landmine exploded on Portland Place, causing widespread fires in Broadcasting House. Despite the damage, it survived the war and became one of the best known buildings associated with radio broadcasting. Subsequently, the BBC expanded with additional studios at Maida Vale,[58] followed by the former[59] headquarters of BBC Television, BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane.[58] In the 2000s, Broadcasting House was expanded to include a new wing and modernise the site, replacing earlier extensions. It was designed by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard.[60] Originally named the Egton House, it was renamed to the John Peel Wing in 2012, in memory of the radio broadcaster.[61]

The Paris Theatre was located in a converted cinema in Lower Regent Street, near other BBC buildings. Several rock groups performed live concerts here, including The Beatles, Queen and Pink Floyd, which were simultaneously recorded for broadcast. The BBC stopped using the theatre in 1995.[62]

Education edit

 
The University of Westminster's official flag in royal blue above No. 309 Regent Street

The University of Westminster's main campus is at No. 309 Regent Street. Founded in 1838 under the chairmanship of George Cayley, it is one of the oldest educational institutions in Central London.[63] It began life as the Royal Polytechnic Institution (after a royal charter had been formally received in August 1839[64] Prince Albert became a patron to the institution). The Polytechnic closed in 1881, but was promptly re-founded by Quintin Hogg as The Polytechnic at Regent Street. In 1970 it was amalgamated with Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce to become the Polytechnic of Central London (PCL), which in turn became the University of Westminster in 1992.[65]

The university houses the Regent Street Cinema which acted as a platform for major scientists, artists and authors such as Charles Dickens,[66] John Henry Pepper,[67] and The Lumière Brothers (Auguste and Louis Lumière) where public and private screenings of Cinématographe were shown to an audience.[68] The cinema was restored and reopened to the public in May 2015.[69]

Other edit

 
All Souls Church next to Broadcasting House, as seen from The Heights

All Souls Church is at the top of Regent Street next to Broadcasting House. It was built in 1823 out of Bath stone and consecrated in 1824, and is the only surviving building in Regent Street that was designed by John Nash.[25][70]

The Café Royal, located at 68 Regent Street in the Quadrant, was opened in 1865 by Daniel Nicols and became an institution of London high society. In 1895 Oscar Wilde argued with Frank Harris in the café about his proposal to sue the Marquess of Queensberry for libel over Wilde's alleged homosexuality. Wilde went ahead with the trial, which ultimately led to his own arrest and imprisonment. The present building, by Sir Reginald Blomfield, dates from 1928 and is Grade II listed. It was closed in 2008 and the building which houses the café was bought by a subsidiary of Alrov Group,[71] as a part of Crown Estate's plans to redevelop this part of Regent Street.[72]

Veeraswamy, London's oldest extant Indian restaurant, has been at 99-101 Regent Street since 1926.[73]

Events edit

 
Nigel Mansell driving a Jordan Formula One car on Regent Street in 2004

Regent Street is home to several events throughout the year.[74] The Regent Street Festival happens annually, and during this time, the street is closed to traffic.[75] In September, there is a series of fashion-related events, dubbed as Fashion and Design Month (FDM), which has been running since 2015.[76][77] In an interview with David Shaw, the head of the Regent Street Portfolio, he said that for FDM 2016, they worked with many "talented individuals across a variety of events, combining creative talent with our established stores."[76]

There have been Christmas lights on Regent Street in various forms since 1882.[25] The current regular displays date from 1948, when the Regent Street Association decorated the street with trees.[78] Since 1954, the Regent Street Association have arranged annual Christmas lights. There is a different display every year and the switching on ceremony occurs during November.[79]

On 6 July 2004, half a million people crowded into Regent Street and the surrounding streets to watch a parade of Formula One cars.[80] In 2016, the sport's chief manager, Bernie Ecclestone, speculated that a London Grand Prix may potentially happen in the future, including Regent Street as a part of the circuit.[81]

Cultural references edit

The character Lord Frederick Verisopht in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby lived in an apartment in Regent Street. This reflected the nature of the street in the mid-19th century when it was still a fashionable residence for the upper class.[82]

In August 1839, the first British commercial production of daguerreotype photographs were carried out in a property on Regent Street, shortly after the process had been publicly documented.[13]

Regent Street is a location on the British version of Monopoly as a group of three green squares with Oxford Street and Bond Street. The three properties are grouped together as they are all known for their retail and commercial backgrounds.[83]

The Langham Hotel on Regent Street is mentioned in several of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, including "The Sign of Four", "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax".[84] In The Hound of the Baskervilles (chapter 4), Holmes and Watson attempt to follow Stapleton down Regent Street.[85]

Offshoot crescent road Heddon Street was the location for the cover photography for 1972 David Bowie album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. A blue plaque has been placed to mark the spot where Bowie posed for the front cover. [86]

See also edit

References edit

Notes

  1. ^ The section between Waterloo Place and Piccadilly Circus; colloquially known as "'Lower Regent Street" was officially renamed to "Regent Street St James" 2014.[2]
  2. ^ This photograph has a wide field of view. In reality, the curvature is not as extreme.

Citations

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  2. ^ City Management and Communities results of Traffic Order Consultation – Ref: 7053 Regent Street St James's Renaming A Length of Regent Street (PDF) (Report). London Borough of Westminster Council. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  3. ^ Timbs 1867, p. 710.
  4. ^ a b c "Regent Street". Google Maps. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  5. ^ Gelbart, Hannah (4 December 2015). "Oxford Circus Tube station 'closes every three days' for overcrowding". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Standard Tube Map" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  7. ^ (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  8. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 341.
  9. ^ a b c d e Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 685.
  10. ^ Williams 1990, p. 136.
  11. ^ Stern, Fishman & Tilove 2013, p. 23.
  12. ^ a b c d Westminster, p. 6.
  13. ^ a b Walford, Edward (1878). Regent Street and Piccadilly. Vol. 4. London. pp. 246–262. Retrieved 7 September 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ a b c d Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 686.
  15. ^ Weightman et al. 2007, p. 23.
  16. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, pp. 685–6.
  17. ^ Hobhouse 2008, p. 7.
  18. ^ Hobhouse 2008, p. 194.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i Arnold, Dana (2005). Rural Urbanism: London Landscapes in the Early 19th Century. Manchester University Press. pp. 87–88.
  20. ^ a b c "James Burton [Haliburton], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography".
  21. ^ Williams 1990, pp. 29, 41.
  22. ^ Williams 1990, p. 54.
  23. ^ a b Moore 2003, p. 254.
  24. ^ Williams 1990, pp. 135–157.
  25. ^ a b c d Moore 2003, p. 255.
  26. ^ a b c d Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 687.
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  29. ^ a b Weightman et al. 2007, p. 110.
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  35. ^ Hobhouse 2008, p. 111.
  36. ^ a b Ruddick, Graham (25 April 2013). "Regent Street's revival gives hope to high streets everywhere". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  37. ^ "Norway's $815 bln oil fund buys into London property". Reuters. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  38. ^ "Conversion of Regent Palace Hotel into £300m retail development completed". The Guardian. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  39. ^ "HRH opens the environmentally friendly headquarters of the Crown Estate in London". HM Government. 9 June 2006. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  40. ^ a b Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 236.
  41. ^ Hamilton, Alan (17 June 2005). . The Times. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  42. ^ a b Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 483.
  43. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 371.
  44. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 372.
  45. ^ "The history of Hamleys – London's famous toy shop". BBC News. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  46. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 440.
  47. ^ "Apple to Open First Retail Store in Europe on London's Regent Street on Saturday November 20th". Apple News. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  48. ^ "World's biggest Apple store opens in Covent Garden". BBC News. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  49. ^ "Apple Regent Street – Foster + Partners". archdaily.com. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  50. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 684.
  51. ^ Oulton & Paterson 2000, p. 58.
  52. ^ "Superdry in £12m Austin Reed deal". The Daily Telegraph. 26 May 2011. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  53. ^ "Austin Reed files notice for administration". The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  54. ^ "About us". Aquascutum. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  55. ^ Holland, Tiffany. "Aquascutum seeking London flagship". Retail Week. William Reed Ltd. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  56. ^ a b Weinreb, Ben; Hibbert, Christopher (1983). The London Encyclopaedia (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan. p. 874.
  57. ^ "GREATEST SHOWROOMS: Watches of Switzerland, London, UK". WatchPro. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  58. ^ a b c Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 100.
  59. ^ Conlan, Tara; Plunkett, John (1 April 2013). "BBC Television Centre to be redeveloped as a 'digital experience'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  60. ^ "The new BBC Broadcasting House: So what does £1bn buy?". The Guardian. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  61. ^ "BBC to name wing of new Broadcasting House after John Peel". BBC Media Centre. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  62. ^ "BBC Heritage Trail Buildings". History of the BBC. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  63. ^ "175 years – About us – University of Westminster, London". Westminster.ac.uk. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  64. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 732.
  65. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 652.
  66. ^ "'The Goblin Court', Royal Polytechnic Institution lantern slide". Science Museum Group Collection. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  67. ^ Information, Reed Business (1 September 1977). New Scientist. Retrieved 6 September 2013. {{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  68. ^ Hibbert et al. 2010, p. 960.
  69. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (6 May 2015). "Remaking a classic: Regent Street Cinema to reopen doors after 35 years". The Guardian. from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  70. ^ Summerson 1962, p. 220.
  71. ^ "Cafe Royal sale". Daily Telegraph. 14 April 2008. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  72. ^ McSmith, Andy (23 December 2008). "Last orders at the Café Royal". The Independent. London.
  73. ^ "History". Veeraswamy. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  74. ^ "Events – Regent Street London". from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  75. ^ "Regent Street Festival". Time Out. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  76. ^ a b Marfil, Lorelei (1 September 2016). "London's Regent Street Hosts Series of Fashion Events in September". Women's Wear Daily. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  77. ^ Goode, Alex (25 August 2015). "Karl Lagerfeld to host free events on Regent Street". Eventmagazine.co.uk. Haymarket Media Group. from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  78. ^ "London Christmas Lights – Regent Street". The Met Office. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  79. ^ Curtis, Sophie (14 November 2015). "Largest ever Christmas light installation brings Regent Street heritage to life". The Daily Telegraph. from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  80. ^ "London GP 'could happen'". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 July 2004. from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  81. ^ Noble, Jonathan (10 May 2016). "Why latest London Grand Prix talk is nonsense". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  82. ^ Paterson, Michael (2012). Inside Dickens' London. David & Charles. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-446-35479-7.
  83. ^ Moore 2003, p. 241.
  84. ^ "A not-so-elementary guide to Sherlock Holmes' London". Los Angeles Times. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  85. ^ "Discover Sherlock Holmes's London – from 221B Baker Street to the bar where it all began". Radio Times. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  86. ^ "David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust album marked with blue plaque". the Guardian. 27 March 2012.

Sources

  • Green, Oliver (1987). The London Underground: An Illustrated History. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1720-4.
  • Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben; Keay, John; Keay, Julia (2010). "Regent Street". The London Encyclopaedia (3rd ed.). Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-405-04924-5.
  • Hobhouse, Hermione (2008). A History of Regent Street: A Mile of Style. Phillimore. ISBN 978-1-860-77248-1.
  • Moore, Tim (2003). Do Not Pass Go. Vintage. ISBN 978-0-099-43386-6.
  • Oulton, Jenny; Paterson, David (2000). "Opening-Time In The West End". London Dawn to Dusk: Celebration of a City. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 1-85974-517-2.
  • Stern, Robert A.M.; Fishman, David; Tilove, Jacob (2013). Paradise Planned: The Garden Suburb and the Modern City. The Monacelli Press. ISBN 978-1580933261.
  • Summerson, John (1962). Georgian London (Revised ed.). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
  • Timbs, John (1867). "Regent Street". Curiosities of London (2nd ed.). London: J.C. Hotten. OCLC 12878129.
  • Weightman, Gavin; Humphries, Steve; Mack, Joanna; Taylor, John (2007). The Making of Modern London. Random House. ISBN 978-0-091-92004-3.
  • Williams, Guy (1990). Augustus Pugin Versus Decimus Burton: A Victorian Architectural Duel. London: Cassell Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-304-31561-3.
  • City of Westminster Conservation Area Directory No.12 (PDF) (Report). Westminster City Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.

Further reading edit

  • Herbert Fry (1880), "Regent Street", London in 1880, London: David Bogue, LCCN no2010-14702. (bird's eye view)
  • The Architecture of Regent Street, The Crown Estate, London, 2005.
  • Westminster, James (1963), F H W Sheppard (ed.), Survey of London: Volumes 31 and 32, St James Westminster, Part 2

External links edit

  • Official website  

regent, street, this, article, about, london, other, uses, disambiguation, major, shopping, street, west, london, named, after, george, prince, regent, later, george, laid, under, direction, architect, john, nash, james, burton, runs, from, waterloo, place, ja. This article is about the Regent Street in London For other uses see Regent Street disambiguation Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London It is named after George the Prince Regent later George IV and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton It runs from Waterloo Place in St James s at the southern end through Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus to All Souls Church From there Langham Place and Portland Place continue the route to Regent s Park Regent StreetLooking north along Regent Street in April 2011 with Union Flags hung to celebrate the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of CambridgeLocation within Central LondonPart ofA4 A4201NamesakeGeorge Prince Regent of the United KingdomMaintained byTransport for LondonLength0 8 mi 1 3 km LocationLondon United KingdomNearest tube stationOxford CircusPiccadilly CircusCharing CrossCoordinates51 30 39 N 0 08 19 W 51 5108 N 0 1387 W 51 5108 0 1387ConstructionOtherDesignerJohn Nash James BurtonKnown forLibertyHamleysApple StoreUniversity of WestminsterWebsitewww wbr regentstreetonline wbr comThe street s layout was completed in 1825 and was an early example of town planning in England replacing earlier roads including Swallow Street Nash and Burton s street layout has survived although all the original buildings except All Souls Church have been replaced following reconstruction in the late 19th century 1 The street is known for its flagship retail stores including Liberty Hamleys Jaeger and the Apple Store The Royal Polytechnic Institution now the University of Westminster has been based on Regent Street since 1838 Contents 1 Route 2 History 2 1 Beginnings 1811 1825 2 2 James Burton 2 3 Other architects 2 4 Rebuilding 1895 1927 2 5 Crown Estate redevelopment 3 Properties 3 1 Retail 3 2 Broadcasting 3 3 Education 3 4 Other 4 Events 5 Cultural references 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksRoute editRegent Street is approximately 0 8 miles 1 3 km long and begins at a junction with Charles II Street as a continuation of Waterloo Place a It runs north to Piccadilly Circus where it turns left before curving round the Quadrant to head north again meeting Oxford Street at Oxford Circus 3 It ends at a junction with Cavendish Place and Mortimer Street near the BBC Broadcasting House with the road ahead being Langham Place followed by Portland Place 4 The southern section of the road is one way northbound and part of the A4 a major road through West London From Piccadilly Circus northwards it is numbered A4201 though in common with roads inside the London congestion charging zone the number does not appear on signs 4 Nearby tube stations are Charing Cross Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus 4 the lattermost being one of the busiest underground stations in London 5 and is where three main lines Central Bakerloo and Victoria meet 6 Several bus routes such as 6 12 and 13 run along Regent Street 7 nbsp Panoramic view of Oxford Circus the location where Oxford Street meets Regent StreetHistory editBeginnings 1811 1825 edit nbsp Regent Street proposal published 1813 titled PLAN presented to the House of Commons of a STREET proposed from CHARING CROSS to PORTLAND PLACE leading to the Crown Estate in Marylebone Park Regent Street was one of the first planned developments of London An ordered structure of London streets replacing the mediaeval layout had been planned since just after the Great Fire of London 1666 when Sir Christopher Wren and John Evelyn drew plans for rebuilding the city on the classical formal model After a lack of progress houses were rebuilt on the old street network anyway 8 In 1766 John Gwynn complained in London and Westminster Improved that there was a lack of planning throughout the West End and that it would be useful to construct a thoroughfare linking Marylebone Park now Regent s Park with the Prince Regent s Carlton House John Fordyce was appointed as Surveyor General to the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1793 and concluded that there should be a suitable road in place by 1811 when the lease for Marylebone Park ran out and ownership reverted to the Crown It was hoped the road could link Pall Mall and the Haymarket which had declined and became downmarket A further problem was increased congestion around Charing Cross which would benefit from road improvements 9 The street was designed by John Nash who had been appointed to the Office of Woods and Forests in 1806 and previously served as an adviser to the Prince Regent and by developer James Burton 10 Nash proposed his own plans for the street in 1810 following the death of Fordyce 9 envisioning broad architecturally distinguished thoroughfares and public spaces and 11 planned to construct a straight boulevard as seen in French cities but this was not possible because of land ownership issues 12 Nash s final design resulted in a road situated further west than on previous plans and Nash believed the road would run down a de facto line separating the upper classes and nobility in Mayfair with the working class in Soho 9 nbsp The Quadrant Regent Street in 1837 seen from Piccadilly Circus The buildings have since been replacedThe construction of the northern section of the New Street involved demolishing most of the existing Swallow Street which had become run down and was an ideal candidate for regeneration 13 The road was designed to curve east between Oxford Street and Piccadilly so that it did not meet St James s Square and the circuses allowed visual continuity down the street 9 The central section known as the Quadrant was designed for shops appropriated to articles of fashion and taste and was Nash s centrepiece for the street It was built with a colonnade of cast iron columns allowing commuters to walk along the street without having to face bad weather The buildings along the Quadrant had different facades a deliberate choice by Nash to break away from the uniform design of the previous century and a pragmatic means of using what building materials were available and what clients wanted 14 The road was planned to end outside Carlton House in Pall Mall the residence of the Prince of Wales 12 Nash insisted that businesses on the street would be of high quality to rival nearby Bond Street common trades such as butchers or greengrocers were not allowed 15 The design was adopted by an Act of Parliament in 1813 which permitted the commissioners to borrow 600 000 for building and construction The street was intended for commercial purposes and it was expected that most of the income would come from private capital Nash took responsibility for design and valuation of all properties 9 Construction of the road required demolishing numerous properties disrupting trade and polluting the air with dust 16 Existing tenants had first offer to purchase leases on the new properties 14 The Treasury supported the proposal because in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars there was an urgent need for the government to create jobs Government expenditure was low because the design relied heavily on private developers such as Nash himself 17 The buildings were let on 99 year leases as was common at the time and income could be recouped in the form of ground rent 18 James Burton edit James Burton the pre eminent Georgian London property developer designed and constructed 191 of the houses of Regent Street and their joining archways 19 Five of the largest blocks of Regent Street were purchased by Burton in 1817 20 Burton s houses on Regent Street are No 4 to No 12 No 17 to No 25 No 106 to No 128 No 132 to No 154 No 133 to No 167 No 171 to No 195 and No 295 to No 319 19 These were built together with Carlton Chambers between 1817 and 1820 19 Burton also built between Leicester Street and No 129 Swallow Street in 1820 19 Burton built the east side of Regent Street in 1821 and the west side of Regent Street specifically the part between the Quadrant and Oxford Street and its archways in 1822 19 Burton built north of Old Burlington Street and the east side of the street between Chapel Court and the entrance to the King Street Chapel SW1 in 1822 19 Burton also designed and built Regent Street St James Lower Regent Street 21 20 and Waterloo Place St James s 22 20 19 whose facades he modelled on those of the Place Vendome in Paris between 1815 and 1816 19 Other architects edit The vast majority of the street was designed by Nash or Burton 19 However a few buildings were designed by Charles Robert Cockerell Sir John Soane or others By 1819 the Crown was receiving regular rent and the street was becoming established 14 At first it was named New Street and became a dividing line between Soho which had declined socially and economically and the fashionable squares and streets of Mayfair to the west 23 Carlton House was demolished after completion of the works in 1829 and was replaced by Carlton House Terrace designed by Nash and the son of James Burton Decimus Burton 24 12 Regent Street was the first shopping area in Britain to support late night opening in 1850 when shopkeepers agreed to keep stores open until 7pm 25 Rebuilding 1895 1927 edit nbsp View northwards from junction with Vigo Street and Glasshouse Street c 1910 from an old postcard During the 19th century Regent Street became established as the centre of fashion Shops expanded into multiple properties selling imported and exotic products to appeal to niche consumers 14 By the end of the century fashions had changed and the original buildings were small and old fashioned restricting trade 26 The colonnade constructed by Nash was demolished in the mid 19th century for fear it might attract doubtful characters 23 Other buildings were not up to modern building standards some had been extended and were structurally suspect 12 As the 99 year leases came to an end Regent Street was redeveloped between 1895 and 1927 under the control of the Office of Woods Forests and Land Revenues now known as the Crown Estate 1 27 nbsp Photograph of Regent Street in 1942 facing Piccadilly CircusThe modern Regent Street is the result of this redevelopment No original structures survive except south of Oxford Circus for some Nash designed sewers 25 The current design is an example of the Beaux Arts approach to urban design an assembly of separate buildings on a grand scale designed to harmonise and produce an impressive overall effect 28 Strict rules governed the reconstruction 26 Each block had to be designed with a continuous unifying street facade and finished in Portland stone 28 The first redevelopment was Regent House just south of Oxford Circus The stylistic tone for the rebuilding was set by Sir Reginald Blomfield s Quadrant 27 The architect Norman Shaw then aged 73 was brought in to draw up proposals for the Circus and the Quadrant after early plans were considered unsatisfactory His scheme was approved in principle but subject to indecision and dispute both on property acquisition and retailers demand for bigger display windows 26 Shaw s design for the Piccadilly Hotel was completed in 1908 with modifications while the Quadrant was rebuilt by Blomfield adapting Shaw s designs The work started in 1923 and was completed by 1928 27 Significantly no accommodation was built above any of the retail properties contributing to the demise of the West End as a place of residence 29 A limited number of architects were responsible for the redesigned street including Sir John James Burnet 30 Arthur Joseph Davis 31 and Henry Tanner 32 nbsp The Bakerloo line opened in 1906 follows Regent Street for part of its underground courseThe Work was delayed by World War I 26 and not finished until 1927 Its completion was marked by King George V and Queen Mary driving in state along its length 29 The only remaining Nash building is All Souls Church and all the buildings on the street are at least Grade II listed All the properties are in the Regent Street Conservation Area 33 Meanwhile the Bakerloo line of the London Underground was built running under the street for part of its course from 1902 until 1906 when it was opened on 10 March that year 34 The line s entrance at Oxford Circus tube station near Argyll Street was designed by Leslie W Green using glazed terracotta as a facing material 35 Crown Estate redevelopment edit By the 1970s Regent Street had started to decline because of under investment and competition from neighbouring areas such as Oxford Street or shopping centres away from Central London In 2002 the Crown Estate which owns most of Regent Street on behalf of the monarch started a major redevelopment programme 36 In 2013 the Estate sold a quarter of the 270 000 square foot 25 000 m2 Regent Street Quadrant 3 building to the Norwegian Oil Fund 37 while later that year Hackett London bought the lease for the Ferrari store on Regent Street for 4m Smaller shops have been replaced by larger units the street is now the flagship location of several major brands including Apple and Banana Republic 36 The largest part of the plan was the reconstruction of the Quadrant close to Piccadilly Circus which was completed in 2011 It offers 200 000 square feet 19 000 m2 of office space spanning over seven floors Two Art Deco designed restaurants have also been restored and the development includes a small number of apartments 38 The Crown Estate moved its own headquarters from Carlton House Terrace to Regent Street in 2006 39 nbsp The Quadrant on Regent Street leading to Piccadilly Circus b Properties editRetail edit nbsp Dickins and Jones formerly occupied the block between Little Argyll Street and Great Marlborough Street The department store Dickins and Jones was established at No 54 Oxford Street as Dickins and Smith before moving to Nos 232 234 Regent Street in 1835 It was renamed to Dickins and Jones in the 1890s after John Pritchard Jones became a business partner and by the turn of the 20th century employed over 200 people It became part of the Harrods group in 1914 and expanded to cover Nos 224 244 in 1922 in a new building designed by Sir Henry Tanner In 1959 House of Fraser took over the store by buying the Harrods group 40 In 2005 House of Fraser announced that the store would close the following year after it had been making a loss for several years and not kept up with more fashion conscious department stores elsewhere The building has been redeveloped with small shop units on the lower floors and flats and offices above 40 41 nbsp Liberty is at the junction of Regent Street with Great Marlborough StreetThe Liberty department store is based at Nos 210 220 It was founded by entrepreneur Arthur Lasenby Liberty who had been inspired by the 1862 International Exhibition and wanted to open an oriental warehouse He opened his first shop East India House in 1875 at No 218a selling silk garments and various oriental goods The shop expanded into other properties on Regent Street in the 1880s separated by a jeweller s shop which was bridged by a double staircase called the Camel s Back Liberty later took over all of Nos 140 150 Regent Street 42 In 1925 this complex was replaced by two new buildings and a mock tudor building built by architects Edwin T Hall and his son Edwin S Hall constructed from the timbers of two ships HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan on neighbouring Great Marlborough Street connected by a footbridge over Kingly Street which separates the properties 42 nbsp Hamleys Store in Regent Street centre next door to Jaeger left The toy store Hamleys is at No 188 Regent Street just south of Oxford Circus It was founded as Noah s Ark at No 231 High Holborn in 1760 43 An additional branch opened at Nos 64 66 Regent Street in 1881 while the original High Holborn building burned down in 1901 moving to Nos 86 87 The store was frequently the first to market the latest games and toys and became a strong seller of table tennis equipment in the late 19th century allowing the sport to become popular The business moved to Nos 200 202 44 and moved to the current address in 1981 It claims to be the largest toy shop in the world 45 The main London branch of the clothing store Jaeger was at Nos 200 206 Regent Street It was founded in 1884 by Lewis Tomalin who was inspired by naturalist Gustav Jager s pioneering use of anti animal fibre based clothing The first shop on Fore Street had Doctor Jaeger s Sanitary Woollen System inscribed above the door Oscar Wilde was a regular visitor to the shop Henry Morton Stanley is known to have worn Jaeger clothing during his search for David Livingstone in Africa as is Robert Falcon Scott on his fated trip to the South Pole The company moved to Regent Street in 1935 46 it moved out in January 2016 nbsp The Apple Store on Regent StreetThe Apple Store opened on Regent Street on 20 November 2004 At the time this was the first such store in Europe 47 with the others being in the United States and Japan It was the largest Apple store worldwide until the opening of an even larger store in Covent Garden in August 2010 48 The building that houses the store is a grade II listed building built in 1898 for Venetian mosaicist Antonio Salviati 49 nbsp The Quadrant viewed from the north in 2009 Austin Reed occupies the building on the right with Aquascutum facing it to the left Austin Reed s flagship store was at Nos 103 113 Regent Street for more than 85 years having moved there in 1911 50 It had an atrium at its centre housing glass lifts allowing viewing across all floors The lower ground floor sold womenswear and also housed Austin s the refurbished Art Deco Barber Shop 51 In May 2011 the British fashion retailer Superdry announced it would move into the building paying 12m for the lease In return Austin Reed moved to the former Aquascutum shop on the other side of the road 52 In 2016 Austin Reed filed for administration ending over 100 years presence on Regent Street 53 Aquascutum first established in Mayfair in 1851 opened its flagship store at 100 Regent Street in 1895 54 It closed on 7 August 2011 55 Swan and Edgar moved their haberdashery business into the newly developed Regent Street in the 1820s they first opened at number 49 and by 1848 had expanded into 45 51 The premises which included a prominent frontage on Piccadilly Circus were rebuilt by Sir Reginald Blomfield in 1910 20 The department store closed down in 1982 56 Hedges and Butler wine and spirits merchant established in 1667 moved into 153 Regent Street in 1819 and stayed there for a little under 200 years 56 Since 2014 the premises have been occupied by Watches of Switzerland 57 Broadcasting edit nbsp Broadcasting House is immediately north of the top end of Regent Street and has been used by the BBC since 1932Immediately north of Regent Street is the BBC s headquarters Broadcasting House whose front entrance is in Langham Place Several national radio stations are broadcast from this building The site had formerly been a building on the gardens of Foley House designed by James Wyatt and called Wyatt s House It was demolished in 1928 with much of the fixtures ending up in the Victoria and Albert Museum to construct Broadcasting House Construction was challenging because the building had to be visually similar to other properties on Regent Street yet also contain over twenty soundproofed studios The exterior is built of Portland stone and above the front entrance is a sculpture by Eric Gill 58 Broadcasting House was first used by the BBC on 2 May 1932 and total construction costs were 350 000 It was too small for all services and St George s Hall next to All Souls was used for variety broadcasts until it was demolished during the Blitz On 15 October 1940 the building took a direct hit killing seven people and later that year a landmine exploded on Portland Place causing widespread fires in Broadcasting House Despite the damage it survived the war and became one of the best known buildings associated with radio broadcasting Subsequently the BBC expanded with additional studios at Maida Vale 58 followed by the former 59 headquarters of BBC Television BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane 58 In the 2000s Broadcasting House was expanded to include a new wing and modernise the site replacing earlier extensions It was designed by MacCormac Jamieson Prichard 60 Originally named the Egton House it was renamed to the John Peel Wing in 2012 in memory of the radio broadcaster 61 The Paris Theatre was located in a converted cinema in Lower Regent Street near other BBC buildings Several rock groups performed live concerts here including The Beatles Queen and Pink Floyd which were simultaneously recorded for broadcast The BBC stopped using the theatre in 1995 62 Education edit Main article University of Westminster nbsp The University of Westminster s official flag in royal blue above No 309 Regent StreetThe University of Westminster s main campus is at No 309 Regent Street Founded in 1838 under the chairmanship of George Cayley it is one of the oldest educational institutions in Central London 63 It began life as the Royal Polytechnic Institution after a royal charter had been formally received in August 1839 64 Prince Albert became a patron to the institution The Polytechnic closed in 1881 but was promptly re founded by Quintin Hogg as The Polytechnic at Regent Street In 1970 it was amalgamated with Holborn College of Law Languages and Commerce to become the Polytechnic of Central London PCL which in turn became the University of Westminster in 1992 65 The university houses the Regent Street Cinema which acted as a platform for major scientists artists and authors such as Charles Dickens 66 John Henry Pepper 67 and The Lumiere Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere where public and private screenings of Cinematographe were shown to an audience 68 The cinema was restored and reopened to the public in May 2015 69 Other edit nbsp All Souls Church next to Broadcasting House as seen from The HeightsAll Souls Church is at the top of Regent Street next to Broadcasting House It was built in 1823 out of Bath stone and consecrated in 1824 and is the only surviving building in Regent Street that was designed by John Nash 25 70 The Cafe Royal located at 68 Regent Street in the Quadrant was opened in 1865 by Daniel Nicols and became an institution of London high society In 1895 Oscar Wilde argued with Frank Harris in the cafe about his proposal to sue the Marquess of Queensberry for libel over Wilde s alleged homosexuality Wilde went ahead with the trial which ultimately led to his own arrest and imprisonment The present building by Sir Reginald Blomfield dates from 1928 and is Grade II listed It was closed in 2008 and the building which houses the cafe was bought by a subsidiary of Alrov Group 71 as a part of Crown Estate s plans to redevelop this part of Regent Street 72 Veeraswamy London s oldest extant Indian restaurant has been at 99 101 Regent Street since 1926 73 Events edit nbsp Nigel Mansell driving a Jordan Formula One car on Regent Street in 2004Regent Street is home to several events throughout the year 74 The Regent Street Festival happens annually and during this time the street is closed to traffic 75 In September there is a series of fashion related events dubbed as Fashion and Design Month FDM which has been running since 2015 76 77 In an interview with David Shaw the head of the Regent Street Portfolio he said that for FDM 2016 they worked with many talented individuals across a variety of events combining creative talent with our established stores 76 There have been Christmas lights on Regent Street in various forms since 1882 25 The current regular displays date from 1948 when the Regent Street Association decorated the street with trees 78 Since 1954 the Regent Street Association have arranged annual Christmas lights There is a different display every year and the switching on ceremony occurs during November 79 On 6 July 2004 half a million people crowded into Regent Street and the surrounding streets to watch a parade of Formula One cars 80 In 2016 the sport s chief manager Bernie Ecclestone speculated that a London Grand Prix may potentially happen in the future including Regent Street as a part of the circuit 81 Cultural references editThe character Lord Frederick Verisopht in Charles Dickens Nicholas Nickleby lived in an apartment in Regent Street This reflected the nature of the street in the mid 19th century when it was still a fashionable residence for the upper class 82 In August 1839 the first British commercial production of daguerreotype photographs were carried out in a property on Regent Street shortly after the process had been publicly documented 13 Regent Street is a location on the British version of Monopoly as a group of three green squares with Oxford Street and Bond Street The three properties are grouped together as they are all known for their retail and commercial backgrounds 83 The Langham Hotel on Regent Street is mentioned in several of Arthur Conan Doyle s Sherlock Holmes stories including The Sign of Four A Scandal in Bohemia and The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax 84 In The Hound of the Baskervilles chapter 4 Holmes and Watson attempt to follow Stapleton down Regent Street 85 Offshoot crescent road Heddon Street was the location for the cover photography for 1972 David Bowie album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars A blue plaque has been placed to mark the spot where Bowie posed for the front cover 86 See also edit nbsp London portalList of eponymous roads in London New Regent Street in Christchurch New ZealandReferences editNotes The section between Waterloo Place and Piccadilly Circus colloquially known as Lower Regent Street was officially renamed to Regent Street St James 2014 2 This photograph has a wide field of view In reality the curvature is not as extreme Citations a b Regent Street Archived from the original on 12 February 2012 Retrieved 16 October 2014 City Management and Communities results of Traffic Order Consultation Ref 7053 Regent Street St James s Renaming A Length of Regent Street PDF Report London Borough of Westminster Council 10 September 2014 Retrieved 6 July 2017 Timbs 1867 p 710 a b c Regent Street Google Maps Retrieved 1 September 2016 Gelbart Hannah 4 December 2015 Oxford Circus Tube station closes every three days for overcrowding BBC News British Broadcasting Corporation Retrieved 8 September 2016 Standard Tube Map PDF Transport for London Retrieved 8 September 2016 Central London Bus Map PDF Transport for London Archived from the original PDF on 13 March 2017 Retrieved 1 September 2016 Hibbert et al 2010 p 341 a b c d e Hibbert et al 2010 p 685 Williams 1990 p 136 Stern Fishman amp Tilove 2013 p 23 a b c d Westminster p 6 a b Walford Edward 1878 Regent Street and Piccadilly Vol 4 London pp 246 262 Retrieved 7 September 2016 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite 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Macmillan p 874 GREATEST SHOWROOMS Watches of Switzerland London UK WatchPro Retrieved 14 February 2023 a b c Hibbert et al 2010 p 100 Conlan Tara Plunkett John 1 April 2013 BBC Television Centre to be redeveloped as a digital experience The Guardian Retrieved 5 September 2016 The new BBC Broadcasting House So what does 1bn buy The Guardian 23 January 2011 Retrieved 2 September 2016 BBC to name wing of new Broadcasting House after John Peel BBC Media Centre 2 March 2012 Retrieved 2 September 2016 BBC Heritage Trail Buildings History of the BBC Retrieved 30 August 2016 175 years About us University of Westminster London Westminster ac uk 6 August 2013 Retrieved 6 September 2013 Hibbert et al 2010 p 732 Hibbert et al 2010 p 652 The Goblin Court Royal Polytechnic Institution lantern slide Science Museum Group Collection Retrieved 1 May 2020 Information Reed Business 1 September 1977 New Scientist Retrieved 6 September 2013 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first1 has generic name help Hibbert et al 2010 p 960 Ellis Petersen Hannah 6 May 2015 Remaking a classic Regent Street Cinema to reopen doors after 35 years The Guardian Archived from the original on 10 September 2016 Retrieved 11 September 2016 Summerson 1962 p 220 Cafe Royal sale Daily Telegraph 14 April 2008 Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 4 December 2009 McSmith Andy 23 December 2008 Last orders at the Cafe Royal The Independent London History Veeraswamy Retrieved 14 February 2023 Events Regent Street London Archived from the original on 8 September 2016 Retrieved 8 September 2016 Regent Street Festival Time Out 26 September 2010 Retrieved 1 September 2016 a b Marfil Lorelei 1 September 2016 London s Regent Street Hosts Series of Fashion Events in September Women s Wear Daily Penske Media Corporation Archived from the original on 8 September 2016 Retrieved 8 September 2016 Goode Alex 25 August 2015 Karl Lagerfeld to host free events on Regent Street Eventmagazine co uk Haymarket Media Group Archived from the original on 8 September 2016 Retrieved 8 September 2016 London Christmas Lights Regent Street The Met Office Retrieved 6 September 2016 Curtis Sophie 14 November 2015 Largest ever Christmas light installation brings Regent Street heritage to life The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 7 September 2016 Retrieved 7 September 2016 London GP could happen BBC News British Broadcasting Corporation 6 July 2004 Archived from the original on 7 September 2016 Retrieved 7 September 2016 Noble Jonathan 10 May 2016 Why latest London Grand Prix talk is nonsense Motorsport com Retrieved 1 September 2016 Paterson Michael 2012 Inside Dickens London David amp Charles p 67 ISBN 978 1 446 35479 7 Moore 2003 p 241 A not so elementary guide to Sherlock Holmes London Los Angeles Times 30 October 2018 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Discover Sherlock Holmes s London from 221B Baker Street to the bar where it all began Radio Times 1 January 2016 Retrieved 17 February 2021 David Bowie s Ziggy Stardust album marked with blue plaque the Guardian 27 March 2012 Sources Green Oliver 1987 The London Underground An Illustrated History Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 1720 4 Hibbert Christopher Weinreb Ben Keay John Keay Julia 2010 Regent Street The London Encyclopaedia 3rd ed Pan Macmillan ISBN 978 1 405 04924 5 Hobhouse Hermione 2008 A History of Regent Street A Mile of Style Phillimore ISBN 978 1 860 77248 1 Moore Tim 2003 Do Not Pass Go Vintage ISBN 978 0 099 43386 6 Oulton Jenny Paterson David 2000 Opening Time In The West End London Dawn to Dusk Celebration of a City New Holland Publishers ISBN 1 85974 517 2 Stern Robert A M Fishman David Tilove Jacob 2013 Paradise Planned The Garden Suburb and the Modern City The Monacelli Press ISBN 978 1580933261 Summerson John 1962 Georgian London Revised ed Harmondsworth Penguin Books Timbs John 1867 Regent Street Curiosities of London 2nd ed London J C Hotten OCLC 12878129 Weightman Gavin Humphries Steve Mack Joanna Taylor John 2007 The Making of Modern London Random House ISBN 978 0 091 92004 3 Williams Guy 1990 Augustus Pugin Versus Decimus Burton A Victorian Architectural Duel London Cassell Publishers Ltd ISBN 0 304 31561 3 City of Westminster Conservation Area Directory No 12 PDF Report Westminster City Council Retrieved 1 September 2016 Further reading editHerbert Fry 1880 Regent Street London in 1880 London David Bogue LCCN no2010 14702 bird s eye view The Architecture of Regent Street The Crown Estate London 2005 Westminster James 1963 F H W Sheppard ed Survey of London Volumes 31 and 32 St James Westminster Part 2External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regent Street Official website nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Regent Street amp oldid 1181188877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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