West End of London

This article is about part of London, England. For the western part of London, see West London. For other uses, see West End of London (disambiguation).

Piccadilly Circus, the heart of the West End, in September 2012

The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, London, England, west of the City of London and north of the River Thames, in which many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings and entertainment venues, including West End theatres, are concentrated.

The term was first used in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross.[1] The West End covers parts of the boroughs of Westminster and Camden.[2]

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 in the United Kingdom. It is one of the most expensive locations in the world in which to rent commercial and office space.

  1. ^ Mills, A., Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names, (2001)
  2. ^ Greater London Authority, The London Plan: The Sub Regions Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine