Safe area, central London

[Disydoll12]

I am planning on bringing my 12 yr old to London for a few nights. She wants to shop on Oxford Street, and I want to drag her around to sight see a bit!

I was looking at a hotel on Poland Street, just off Tottenham Court Road. Would this be a safe area to walk around in the day/evening or should we stay further out? Thanks 😊

All of Central London is totally safe to stay, but Oxford Street is horrible & tatty. It is about the worst place in London to shop.
Try shopping around Covent Garden, St Martin's Lane, even Regent St.
Is Camden Market still a thing with teens?
Westfield is OK - either West End or out by the Olympic Park - I mean, I hate huge shopping centres like that but kids love them!

Wow, great thanks for the suggestions. I'll make some notes of the other shopping areas mentioned and do some googling. She likes the usual h&m, new look etc.

Have you booked the hotel yet, if its the Z it is in the middle of Soho, next to the large ncp carpark. Its a busy area.

I'm going to Poland Street tonight - well D'Arblay Street which is a little side street just off it. It's very safe because it's so busy. We are two middle aged women so if we feel safe there...

Lots of great restaurants and cafes including those in Chinatown that someone your daughter's age would like. Sadly Top Shop is no more but teenagers still love Oxford Street. I started going there with my mum at 12 which was a long time ago. She died at 90 nine years ago. She was lucky enough to be fit as a flea until two months before her short illness and we'd go most weeks because I live nearby. She used the tube on her own and felt totally safe as I do now. It's very friendly - she was friendlier than me. I'm working on that!

Tonight I'll take a short walk from the restaurant in Wardour Street to Oxford Circus station to go home. . I really like walking along Oxford Street late at night with the other people and looking in the shop windows and people getting them ready for the morning.

It's a great base for walkability and public transport to other areas The only thing I'd check is the noise. There will be people around at midnight on weekdays and lots more at weekends and later plus dustcarts going all night. It's what makes it so safe and interesting but be aware and perhaps take earplugs.

Have a great time.

There are plenty of shops on Oxford Street for teenagers like Zara, Mango, New Look, Shuh, Nike and then Primark at the Marble Arch end. Carnaby Street is close to Oxford Circus station and though the clothes might be too old for her she'll probably like seeing it; Poland Street is in Soho so it will be lively and interesting.

There's also a big Primark at the junction of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street which I prefer - it's not so frantic as the Marble Arch branch.

Reserved is the shop between Ox Circus and John Lewis. Great selection of very reasonable teen and up fashion.

I’ve just looked this up and it’s very close to my office. Yes, personally Fitzrovia/Soho is very safe unless you’re wandering around drunk at 3am. I’ve taken my then 5 year old for weekends away near there.

If you’re staying for a few nights, I would suggest staying elsewhere.

Oxford St has the big primark, h and m, Zara etc, but it’s so grim nowadays, that you’re better off staying somewhere else and travelling in. Poland st and soho generally is better than Oxford st itself - but super busy and will become a pita quite quickly.

with a 12 year old, i would consider making shoreditch my base. You have spitalfields market, brick lane and quite a few decent chain retailers near Liverpool st. Safe and trendy, still central ish and an easy journey into Oxford st.

if your dd is really into the big chain shops, you might want to consider also going to Westfield for sheer volume of shops - again a direct tube from Liverpool st

Oxford Street isn't grim. It's not Marylebone High Street and it's a bit tatty round some of the edges, but it's not grim.

God there's no way I would stay in shoreditch with a 12 year old. It's an Uber hip oasis in the middle of a business district. There is nothing affordable for a 12 year old.

Oxford street is great. Yes it's a bit scruffy but there are flagship stores of the big teen brands and I'd forgotten about Reserved but that is also brilliant. There's a a Uniqlo, urban outfitters and muji.

It's a short bus ride to Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square.

Perfect location with a teen

@urbanbuddha the crowds, the traffic fumes, those iffy sweet shops, the loud music playing bike riding things, people who randomly stand outside Tottenham Court Rd tube pumping out music from massive speakers etc make it not one of the more pleasurable shopping areas in London. The Oxford Circus junction is horrible and gets so crowded sometimes it's frightening. Everyone is crammed into the over crowded footpaths - if they pedestrianised the place it might be a bit nicer.

Definitely look at Carnaby st.

@Clymene I think maybe different strokes for different folks? My tween dc could not see the point over crowded hotspots like Trafalgar square and Piccadilly Circus and were much happier mooching round south bank, brick lane, Camden (ugh!) with bubble teas in hand!

Best place to stay with that age is Camden, she'll love the market (assume it hasn't changed since covid, last went in 2019)

@limitedperiodonly sorry about your mum 💐

Do you live in London?

@Needmorelego

Much to the horror of those of us who live nearby and cross the centre by bus (mainly electric so no fumes) that's exactly what they're planning.

Have a look at the holiday Inn in High Street Kensington, it’s reasonable, has a pool and is in a great area.

Yes, it's perfectly safe. I think it's a good place to stay with a tween who wants to shop because the stores are open until 9/10pm. Westfield is also open late. You can go further afield to Camden or Shoreditch during the day if she wants something a bit different. It's walking distance to Covent Garden and Chinatown, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square etc. Lots of tween friendly restaurants too.

@Clymene yes, live in London. I’m guessing your point is that those from outside London might find Piccadilly Circus etc more appealing Londoners would? Maybe you’re right? I don’t know.

@urbanbuddha they've been 'planning' to pedestrianise Oxford Street for years. I don't know if it will ever happen.
Something needs to change with Oxford Street though. It can take a bus an hour to get from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Rd sometimes although yes the electric ones aren't so fumey.
(I live in London)

Some of the bus routes have already gone - 6 goes along Piccadilly now (which I prefer), 23 has been re-routed from Liverpool Street to Hammersmith (!), 7 stops at Oxford Circus not Bloomsbury. There may be others. The last I heard (last year) the plan was to have 2 plazas either side of Oxford Circus and to re-route buses to the north and the south. But the leadership of Westminster Council has changed so maybe not.

Covent garden is nicer than Oxford St, has street entertainers. Book a free slot at a sky garden , great views and a cool cafe.

Central London is safe. You can walk from all the major train stations and you have a ring of CCTV protecting you. I feel safer there than I do at home in the sticks, but that is another story.

I live in London for workdays. Marylebone High Street is good if coming from the North into Marylebone or Euston. You can wind down there first then cross over into St Christopher's Place before emerging into Oxford Street. Personally from there I would venture towards Regent Street, then down tracking East to Golden Square then into Chinatown for an early lunch. Then it is not too far to Piccadilly Circus and then continue into Seven Dials and then via Neal's Yard ( a real treat) to Covent Garden for Supper.

The whole distance is 1.5 miles. Easily doable and you will be annoyed you did not make it a weekend. Be prepared to lose your daughter. She will move to London to Uni.

The above is a shopping trip. If you want culture - same locations but just needs the landmarks pointed out.