{
  "id": 18148096,
  "title": "Traffic-free Oxford Street delivers boost for retailers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/traffic-free-oxford-street-delivers-boost-for-retailers",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-04T16:09:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/traffic-free-oxford-street-delivers-boost-for-retailers/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the first week following the pedestrianisation of London’s Oxford Street, retailers experienced a significant sales boost, with transactions at 40 Oxford Street stores jumping by 19 per cent compared to both the prior week and the same time last year, according to payments firm Adyen. London Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed the street’s pedestrianisation as a \"momentous day\" for the capital, but some have criticized the initiative, claiming the shopping strip remains largely unchanged and is still overcrowded by cyclists. Despite the mixed reactions, it seems retailers in Europe’s busiest shopping destination are reaping the benefits of the pedestrianisation. The 19 per cent surge in sales on Oxford Street is a stark contrast to the mere 1 per cent growth at neighbouring Regent Street during the same period. Additionally, the total value of sales on Oxford Street has surged 28 per cent year-on-year and 12 per cent week-on-week, with the average transaction value up by 7 per cent compared to the same time last year. The transformation has been warmly welcomed by John Lewis, one of the street’s most prominent tenants. The department store chain, which originated on Oxford Street in 1864 as a small drapery shop, reported strong sales last week, praising the lively atmosphere and a constant flow of customers at their new 300-seat Platter restaurant. Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer’s flagship Pantheon store on Oxford Street recently completed a £30m refurbishment and has been performing exceptionally well, trading 30 per cent better than this time two years ago. The initial phase of the pedestrianisation involved a 1km stretch of road transformed using temporary bollards and furniture, with more than fifty new trees, hundreds of seats, and two public squares set to join the area next year. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, expressed excitement over the realisation of his bold plans for Oxford Street’s transformation, emphasizing that revitalising the iconic area will supercharge regeneration and unlock economic growth not only in London but across the country. Khan remains committed to restoring the high street to its former glory, as the spokesperson mentioned that the project would rid Oxford Street of \"dross\" American candy shops.",
  "summary": "Retailers on London’s Oxford Street have seen their sales jump by nearly a fifth since the iconic shopping street was pedestrianised last month. The number of transactions at 40 Oxford Street stores jumped by 19 per cent in the first week of the scheme, compared both to the prior week and the same time last [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}