<H5>Oxford Street: London's New Downtown?</H5>

The City of London lost its Downtown, tragically, through fire in the 17th century. But the heart of a city is its Downtown, both for residents and visitors. There is another city, however, the City of Westminster: its heart is Oxford Street. A Cloth Hall (Oxford Market) stood on the northern side of Oxford Street (where Market Square now stands) until the 1880s. The street is commercial and beautiful at the same time. Look at this building, look at those windows, that gable, that sunray stonework above the window pediment. All that stops this building competing with the equally delightful examples in Amsterdam and Brussels is its state of repair. I won't mention the shop front.

Sally Crawford, 30 November 2012