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 😊

London is generally OK, as long as you are aware of your surroundings and don't flash your valuables.

Stay out of the Oxford Street sweet shops as they sell counterfeit goods and rip you off.

Stay out of Primark as it's a nationwide sex-offender magnet.

I'll repeat the suggestions of Camden, Covent Garden, and Carnaby Street. They're crowded but probably more entertaining than Oxford Street.

If you fancy a trip to the cinema as well, the Odeon on Tottenham Court Road is good. I go there regularly as I live nearby.

Stay out of Primark as it's a nationwide sex-offender magnet.

Is it? How do you know?

I think she’s too young for Camden. That’s for older teens.
my 12yo loves Oxford street.
poland street is a good location.

@urbanbuddha I'm curious about that Primark sex offender thing too 😳
The thing I hate most about Tottenham Court Rd Primark is queuing to pay can sometimes take 30 minutes if not longer.

Yeh, must admit those tills make me go a bit Zen. Might well be good for me in the grand scheme of things.

Google "primark sex offender". Most of those are the ones that get reported and then convicted.

@1245J that is a great route. I live in London but I've still bookmarked it to remind myself next time I have shoppy guests :)

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.

Totally agree - and I live in Shoreditch. It's not somewhere geared up for tweens. Oxford St is much more suitable (since the 12 year old likes New Look etc), and not as grim as some people are making out.

my 11 year old loves Camden, all the food and shops. its well dodgy so keep your wits about you.
regent street down to Piccadilly, through Leicester Square then Covent Garden. there's some great bubble tea/Chinese/Japanese dessert shops in china town.
www.milktraincafe.com
Poland street will be fine, wander through soho at night.

www.sevendialsmarket.com/vendor/cucumber-alley/

chinatown.co.uk/en/food/10-dessert-parlours-to-try-in-chinatown-this-easter/

chinatown.co.uk/en/shop/oseyo-korean-supermarket/

Central London is really safe but what do you actually want to do? Surely you're not coming to London to go shopping in bloody Primark?

Yes, that is absolutely my point. Your children have London privilege, the OP's daughter doesn't. For tweens who don't live in London, 4 (or is it 5?) storeys of H&M is heaven.

And (not aimed at you) Westfield is just a big shopping centre and pretty much the same as big shopping centres in every other city across the U.K.

Oxford Street is not the same.

It's very obvious who the Londoners are on this thread!

Why on earth would anyone pay travel and hotel costs in order to go shopping in H&M? Seriously.

Yeah, it came from many years of short bursts of living in London in different career paths over (dare I say it) 50+ years. I live back now in the country, but love London for its culture and respect.

The route I gave is the 'consumer' route for shoppers and diners. I have other routes, that end up in London Review Bookshop, the Holly Bush in Hampstead, Horseguard's Parade, all from different starting points and based on what you want to see. Walk up to Hampstead, each stopping off point is tranquil and you can sit down and breathe in quiet like being in a small town or village - lunch in Le Vieux Comptoir afore a walk through Regent's Park and then up Avenue Road. Years ago I used to peel off into Rosetti's a place in St John's Wood. A young and successful Kate Bush used to drink in there, with her friends and family. Quiet tables and sofas in one of the early open place venues. Just sitting there, relaxed and nobody bothering them. It was like the hotel in Crossroads then.

Central London - and indeed pretty much all of Greater London is very safe. However, Poland st is in Soho and might be quite noisy at night.

Soho is fine - although very adult - but Oxford St / Tottenham Court Road is pretty depressing. I’d stay someone like Islington

Why on earth would anyone pay travel and hotel costs in order to go shopping in H&M? Seriously.

I'm guessing if you're 12 the flagship stores are exciting.

Oxford street is fine! The biggest Nike store in the world at Oxford circus I believe.

Camden is fine for a 12 YO have a look at Hans and Gretel Café if she likes sweet things.

I'm guessing the OP has googled
"Poland St" which brings up a stabbing which occurred in August. These thing can happen in darkest suburbia, so wouldn't put me off the area. Which hotel are you looking at OP- personally I'd prefer a quieter area and jump on the tube do some shopping. London is a big place, so you could stay central and be in a very different type of area.

<sigh> @BloodAndFire H&M at Oxford Circus stocks things you can't buy anywhere else. Collabs with designers. Short run stuff. Things you can't buy on their website or in your local branch on your high street

And thar is a great route @1245J

Shoreditch/ Camden absolute no. Not because they’re dangerous but they’re very adult drinking party places. Covent Garden is a decent shout - ridiculously touristy though. I’d suggest a cheaper hotel very slightly further out on the tube as you’re not likely to be needing to find a way home at 1am with a 12 year old. Kings Cross/ Islington/ Waterloo (very easy to walk everywhere from here). Guess it depends what your budget is as London is ridiculously expensive for hotels

Primark has mixed sex changing rooms with flimsy curtains where men can loiter perving on girls. They don’t care about teenage girl or women’s safety.

I loved Camden as a 12yr old. Was way more ‘dangerous’ then than it is now. So much so my mother loves having a wander round there now! It still has stuff you can’t get anywhere else, and your daughter can say, ‘oh I got it in London’. Next to the park and the zoo. Camden is so family friendly now.

Amen to this!

Covent garden, Carnaby street and even Oxford circus will be great fun for visiting with a teenager, I don’t agree with all the people dismissing it! I live here and still enjoy a shopping trip there and MUCH nicer than an awful mall. Shoreditch would also be cool and coal drops yard and kings cross as a PP mentioned is very vibrant now. I’ve never felt safer than I feel in Central London and all of it is safe! If you have time and the funds, go to a show - I highly recommend Moulin Rouge - bloody fantastic!!

If you can stay around soho end that might be more fun than the Tottenham court end but it’s all safe.