Shopping on Oxford Street

It is well known that Oxford Street is one of the best places to shop in London, but if you are planning a trip to the city and want to experience the hub of London’s shopping districts then you might have a few questions beforehand.

It is such a busy and vibrant area that having a few key pieces of information up your sleeve before you arrive could really make the difference between a trip which goes down without a hitch and one which leaves you stressed out and worn down.

Here are some of the more common things you might be wondering about:-

Best Shopping Times
Nobody likes pushing their way through hoards of people and so if you can plan your visit to coincide with the quietest times on Oxford Street then no doubt this would be preferable.  This area of London is home to more than 300 shops so, as you might imagine, it can get very busy indeed during peak times.  One of the most infamous images in recent years has to be the crowds of shoppers struggling to get into the large Primark store located at one end of Oxford Street; this is pretty standard for most weekends.

The best time to go, if you can manage it, is just after the shops have opened at 9am.  It is by far the quietest time on the street and there will be a lot less people about meaning you will have chance to browse at your leisure.  To be in with a good chance of arriving on time, consider staying at an Oxford Street hotel which would put you directly on the doorstep of the shops.

The most popular shops are Primark, Topshop Oxford Circus and Selfridges, so if you are interested in shopping here then make sure you head there as early as possible.  Avoid the lunchtime hour as that can get very busy; crowds tend to begin forming after 11am and you will find that Saturdays are much more popular than Sundays.

Opening Hours

Mainly because it is the most popular shopping area in London, Oxford Street is open much later than other districts in the capital.  The majority of the shops are open until 8pm and there is late night shopping on a Thursday with most being open until 9pm or 10pm.  If you are planning to squeeze a bit of shopping into your evening then head down after 7pm; the hour between 6pm and 7pm is very busy as commuters ‘pop in’ on their way home.

Closest Tube Station

Maps will tell you that Oxford Circus is the best tube station for the main shopping street and whilst this is true, it is also the reason why it can get very busy.  Alternative tube stations would be Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street Tube or Marble Arch.  Many people also make the assumption that the best way to travel from one end of Oxford Street to the other is via tube although this is complete nonsense; it takes just 15 minutes to walk.

This is another benefit of booking into an Oxford Street Hotel as once you have arrived you will have no need to worry about catching the tube during your shopping trip, unless you want to venture further afield.

Toilets

It is very likely that at some point you will need to visit the toilet during your visit to Oxford Street and this is one piece of information which it pays to have in advance of your trip.  Head to any of the department stores such as Debenhams or John Lewis or pick a larger store such as Marks and Spencer.  You are unlikely to find toilets in any of the other stores on the street.

Food and Drink

As with toilet breaks, if you plan to spend the whole day shopping on Oxford Street then you will need to take a break for something to eat or drink to stop you from flagging.  There are numerous take away sandwich bars which can offer you a quick pitstop option.  For sit down restaurants try the Marble Arch end of the street where you will find the likes of The Montcalm hotel’s restaurant, Spaghetti House, The Portman and more.

Safety

As this is such a busy area of London it is natural to worry about staying safe.  Unfortunately there have been incidences of thieves and pickpockets operating in the area, but as long as you employ the usual level of common sense you will be fine.  Keep all loose items such as your keys or phone in a secure pocket in your bag, don’t have them in your trousers or coat as you may not feel if they are being removed.  Likewise if you are trying items on in a shop, don’t leave your bags unattended and so on.  In the unfortunate case that you do suffer pickpocketing then be sure to contact the police as soon as possible.  If you are in one of the larger stores when it happens then make your first port of call Customer Services; they will be able to assist you fully.

You should find that any trip to Oxford Street is enjoyable and certainly, if you are looking to spend some serious money then this will be the case.  There is a fantastic variety of stores to choose from, and it can be a very atmospheric part of the city, especially during the winter months when it is lit up for Christmas.