Whitechapel High Street

Not to be confused with Whitechapel Road.

The north side of Whitechapel High Street in 2015

Whitechapel High Street is a street in the Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. It is about 0.2 miles (350 m) long, making it "one of the shortest high streets in London".[1] It links Aldgate High Street to the south-west with Whitechapel Road to the north-east, and includes junctions with Commercial Street to the north and Commercial Road to the east.

For motorists, it is the start of the A11 from London to Norwich. For cyclists, it is the start of Cycleway 2 from Aldgate to Stratford. For pedestrians, it is a route from Aldgate tube station to Brick Lane.

"Whitechapel High Street provides a transition between the commercial development pressures from the City and the historic east end communities."[2] The street has many narrow plots with 3–5 storey buildings, rebuilt and enlarged at different times in different styles. It was designated a conservation area in 2007.[3]

In 2015 it was named by the Royal Society for Public Health as London's most unhealthy high street, having the highest concentration of fast-food outlets, payday lenders, bookmakers and tanning salons.[4]

  1. ^ Glinert, Ed (2012). The London Compendium. Penguin Books. p. 322.
  2. ^ Aldgate Masterplan (PDF). London Borough of Tower Hamlets. 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  3. ^ Whitechapel High Street Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Guidelines (PDF). London Borough of Tower Hamlets. 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  4. ^ Lydall, Ross (26 March 2015). "Revealed: London's 'unhealthiest' high streets – Whitechapel tops capital's list of shame". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 December 2021.