SOHO
My
interest in Soho – is nothing but shopping as the Oxford Street and
China Town are part of the district.
The
unofficial boundaries of Soho are -Oxford Street, Regent Street,
Charing Cross Road and China Town.
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| CENTRAL LONDON |
Soho
is located at the West End of central London – is famous for its
Red-light districts are areas associated with the sex industry and
sex-orientated business such as sex shops and strip clubs, and places
of prostitution.
Of
course, a walk passed the dimly surrounding of the Red Light District
is educational – as one gets to see how the sex area looks like.
For years, Soho was synonymous with the Red Light District. London
has little such areas compared to Tokyo, Amsterdam and Bangkok. The
reason is prostitution and sex activities are illegal and ban in the
60s.
Soho
is one of London's most colorful and cosmopolitan areas with many
foreign shops and restaurants, though it also has its seamy side,
despite the many changes over the years, it has somehow manged to
retain its “village” atmosphere. The name Soho is said to derive
from a 15th century hunting cry from the time when the
area was still open fields. Soho was actually a grazing farmland
until 1536 when it became a parkland for the Palace of Whitehall.
In
the 17th century permission was granted to built on it and
it became inhabited mainy by French immigrants. During mid-19th
century, there were small theatres, music halls and working girls
everywhere. It finally became fashionable in the 20th
century – popular place for artist and writers as the pubs and food
were cheap, here. In the 50s working girls packed the street of Soho
and solicit clients. The hidden nature of the working girls and
hardcore entertainment (restricted under UK law), in Soho made it
easy for unscrupulous owners to rip off sprung up in the 60s.In 1959,
the government passed the Street Offences Act – illegal to loiter
and solicit for purposes of prostitution. Although the Act remains
legal, the working girls was pushed underground as they no longer
allowed to openly solicit clients. They started working in pubs,
massage parlours and clubs. In the 70s adult shops remain only 60. In
the 80s, the government clamped down many of this places.Soho is now
popular is selling love aids and lingerie (Ann Summers) with the ever
shrinking red light district.
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| OXFORD STREET |
Oxford
Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of
London. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a
million daily visitors and 300 shops. The first departmental stores
in Britain was opened in the early 20th century including
Selfridges, John Lewis and HMV. It has retained an element of
downmarket trading alongside prestigious retail shop. The street
suffered heavy bombing during World War II, and several stores
including John Lewis were completely destroyed and rebuilt from
scratch.
Oxford
Street has suffered from traffic congestion, a poor safety record and
pollution. Various traffic management schemes have been implemented
by Transport for London including a ban on private vehicles during
daytime on weekdays and Saturdays, and improved pedestrian crossings.
2007/2010/2015
