Starting
Out
This first
stage of our shopping walk starts at Goodge Street Underground Station
on the Northern Line.
If electrical and computer shops aren't really your thing you may
to choose to start at Tottenham Court Road Station, also serviced
by the Central Line as well as the Northern Line.
Map Key - Shopping Walk Stage
1
|
 |
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1 -
Dominion Theatre
2 - Denmark Street
3 - Foyles bookshop
4 - Stanfords travel & map shop
5 - China Town
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Tottenham
Court Road - Electronics
From in
front of Goodge Street Underground Station turn south down Tottenham
Court Road, against the flow of the one-way traffic.
The southern end of Tottenham Court Road holds London's biggest concentration
of electronics shops, from hi-fi, to cameras, vision and computer
equipment
The shops line either side of the road for about 500m, until you come
to the Dominion Theatre on your left hand side with the junction of
Oxford Street. |
The
Dominion Theatre built in 1929 now hosts musicals and has had a musical
tradition. In 1957, Bill Haley & Comets were the first US Rock
and Roll Band to play the UK.
Tottenham Court Road Underground is at this junction. The department
stores of Oxford Street are at the western end, we visit these at
the end of the walk. |
Typical
electronics shop on Tottenham Court Road |
| Cross
over Oxford Street, keeping in a southerly direction. Tottenham Court
Road becomes Charing Cross Road. The tall tower block on your left
at the junction on the opposite side of the road to The Dominion is
Centre Point. This was built in the early 60's and was designed to
sit on top of a network of bunkers where government could retreat
to in times of war. By the time it was built the design was obsolete
and has never been used for this purpose. In the 60's Centre Point
became infamous for property speculation as the owners preferred to
keep the block empty and watch the value of their asset rise. |
Denmark
Street - Music
After
about 150m from the junction with Oxford Street, Denmark Street branches
off Charing Cross Road to the left walking south.
Denmark Street is the centre of Britain's modern music industry. The
relatively short street and alleyways contain musical instrument shops,
recording studios and music publishers. There is a slightly seedy
atmosphere, but for the music enthusiast a very interesting part of
London.
In number 20 Denmark Street, Elton John worked as an office boy.
|
Denmark
Street - Wall notices for band members |
At
the same address Paul Simon failed to sell his catalogue of songs
that included later hits like 'Homeward Bound' and the 'Sound of Silence'
At number 4, the Rolling Stones recorded their early albums and Elton
John also did early work here.
Explore the alley on your left and you will come across the wall pictured
above, full of notices from bands looking for extra members as well
as some more recording studios. |
Charing
Cross Road - Books
What Tottenham
Court Road is to electronics, Charing Cross Road is the equivalent
for books.
The road was immortalised in the book '84 Charing Cross Road', also
a successful play.
The book was based on a real book shop that was visited by such immortals
as Charlie Chaplin and George Bernaud Shaw. Perhaps the hey day has
passed, but for book lovers a great place to loiter.
Foyles is one of the largest shops, delightfully eccentric and a million
miles from some of the chains around. |
Foyles
Bookshop - Charing Cross Road |
Cross
Shaftesbury Avenue past the Palace Theatre on your right.
If you have an interest in travel or maps then Stanfords is well worth
a detour and should not be missed. Turn left (2nd turning after Shaftesbury
Avenue) into Great Newport Street which brings you to a junction of
six roads.
Long Acre is the main road directly opposite Great Newport Street.
Stanfords is at number 12, a little way down on the right.
This is a specialist travel map and book shop. If it isn't here, then
its probably not available. The British section is extremely worthwhile
if you're planning on touring the rest of the UK. |
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