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Location Information:
Regent
Street is one of the major shopping
streets in London's West End, well
known to tourists and Londoners
alike, and famous for its Christmas
illuminations. It is named after the
Prince Regent (later George IV), and
is commonly associated with the
architect John Nash, whose street
layout survives, although all his
original buildings except All Souls
Church have since been replaced.
The
street was completed in 1825 and was
an early example of town planning in
England, cutting through the 17th
and 18th century street pattern
through which it passes. It runs
from the Regent's residence at
Carlton House 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.
Every
building in Regent Street is
protected as a Listed Building, at
least Grade II status, and together
they form the Regent Street
Conservation Area. The street is one
of the locations on the standard UK
version of the Monopoly board game.
The Christmas light displays are a
London tradition dating since 1948,
when the Regent Street Association
decorated the street with Christmas
trees. Lighting was not allowed
until 1949, following lifting of
wartime restrictions, and the first
full lighting display was in 1953.
There is a different display every
year, switched on at an opening
ceremony in the first week of
November.
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