Oxford Street criticised over 'shabby shops'

Major plans will be unveiled tonight to revitalise London's premier shopping street.

A range of ideas to spruce up Oxford Street are being put forward by businesses, landowners and Westminster council at a special seminar.

The plans comes amid concern at the "shabby" state of the eastern end near Tottenham Court Road and fears that it is losing out to edge-of-town shopping centres.

An Evening Standard survey found the area dominated by shops selling tacky souvenirs, cheap clothes and jewellery and mobile phone accessories.

Such outlets - often unnamed and operating like market stalls - account for a quarter of businesses between Tottenham Court Road and Berwick Street.

Of the 70 outlets counted, we found 17 market-stall-style shops, 10 mobile phone shops, nine fast-food restaurants and two sex shops. Councils are unable to dictate the quality of goods being sold, unless it is so poor as to breach trading standards.

Tonight, Westminster's leader will press for the need to treat Oxford Street as the "nation's High Street" to maintain its status as a world-class visitor attraction-while businesses and landowners are looking to co-ordinate a series of initiatives for the West End in general.

Taking an idea from the US, the 300 biggest firms would be asked to pay an extra one per cent on their business rates towards a private-public firm set up to focus on the key shopping parades.

Westminster council plans to repave Leicester Square, increase alfresco dining and continue to use CCTV spy cameras to crack down on street crime.

The Crown Estate plans a £500 million renovation of the "quadrant" area adjacent to Piccadilly Circus.

Simon Milton, Westminster's Conservative leader, said Oxford Street's regeneration was "on the horizon" as a result of the proposed Crossrail scheme.

It is an underlying wish that plush developments along the route will lead to short-lease tenants selling cheap goods being unable to afford increased rents.

Blueprints for three large sites will be considered in January. However, funding for Crossrail remains uncertain.