Marylebone traders hope to draw shoppers from Oxford Street after a multi-million pound revamp of the Seymour Place shopping district.
Marylebone traders hope to draw shoppers from Oxford Street after a multi-million pound revamp of the Seymour Place shopping district.
The area, which is home to an eclectic collection of boutique shops and restaurants, has had £400,000 spent on it in a bid to boost trade, as part of a wider rejuvenation of the Edgware Road.
The area, which is home to an eclectic collection of boutique shops and restaurants, has had £400,000 spent on it in a bid to boost trade, as part of a wider rejuvenation of the Edgware Road.
Seymour Place, which runs behind Edgware Road from Marylebone to Marble Arch, has been transformed with wider pavements laid in granite and York stone.
Seymour Place, which runs behind Edgware Road from Marylebone to Marble Arch, has been transformed with wider pavements laid in granite and York stone.
Westminster Council has also reinstated the traditional lamps, in keeping with the area's historic status, which were first used in the area more than 50 years ago.
Westminster Council has also reinstated the traditional lamps, in keeping with the area's historic status, which were first used in the area more than 50 years ago.
Traders gave the revamp - carried out by the council, Transport for London and private landlords - the thumbs-up.
Traders gave the revamp - carried out by the council, Transport for London and private landlords - the thumbs-up.
"We chose to open our restaurant here because the area has great potential and, with so much investment happening here, it seems to be a promising place to set up a business," said Ken Summers, owner of Austrian restaurant Imbiss.
"We chose to open our restaurant here because the area has great potential and, with so much investment happening here, it seems to be a promising place to set up a business," said Ken Summers, owner of Austrian restaurant Imbiss.
"The area will be given a new lease of life and we should see new customers coming here from the busier shopping area of Oxford Street who will be pleasantly surprised by the village atmosphere they find here."
"The area will be given a new lease of life and we should see new customers coming here from the busier shopping area of Oxford Street who will be pleasantly surprised by the village atmosphere they find here."
The council has already set about regenerating Old Quebec Street with a £600,000 makeover as part of its plans for the district.
The council has already set about regenerating Old Quebec Street with a £600,000 makeover as part of its plans for the district.
"These improvements will help Seymour Place establish itself as an integral part of the Portman Village area, making it a must visit destination in its own right," said cabinet member for the built environment Cllr Robert Davis, who was on hand for the unveiling on Wednesday.
"These improvements will help Seymour Place establish itself as an integral part of the Portman Village area, making it a must visit destination in its own right," said cabinet member for the built environment Cllr Robert Davis, who was on hand for the unveiling on Wednesday.
"More than 200 million people visit Oxford Street every year, and through better signage and improvements to this unique area, the potential for encouraging more people to explore beautiful Victorian streets such as [this] is enormous."
"More than 200 million people visit Oxford Street every year, and through better signage and improvements to this unique area, the potential for encouraging more people to explore beautiful Victorian streets such as [this] is enormous."
The improvements will coincide with a £7 million restoration of 14 properties in the Portman Village by landlords the Portman Estate.
The improvements will coincide with a £7 million restoration of 14 properties in the Portman Village by landlords the Portman Estate.
