The world's largest Christmas light West End switch-on

More than one million LED bulbs lit up the sky as the West End in London made history with the world's largest Christmas light switch-on.

Lighting up the streets

From the shopping mecca of Oxford Street, Regent Street and South Molton Street, theluxury boutiques of Bond Street and Mayfair to the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus,culture of St James’s and theatreland of Leicester Square. 20 streets across London’s WestEnd collectively switched on their iconic lights to officially mark the start of the festive seasonin the capital.

Following what has undoubtedly been a challenging 18 months, West End businesses are kickstarting a six-week campaign to shine a light on the exciting and thrilling experiences that canOnly be discovered in the West End. Only in the West End …. This Christmas aims toencourage Londoners and Brits to come together and celebrate the true joy of ‘in real life’festive experiences.

A blaze of colour

From today, Saturday 13 November, visitors can discover the top 50 places to explore,experience, snap and shop that can be found Only in the West End.

From visiting Selfridges Christmas Market on the Mews or shopping at the oldest toy store in the world Hamleys to experiencing a West End Theatre show or iconic, quintessentially English Afternoon Tea at TheRitz London there is so much to see and do only in the West End this Christmas.

Ros Morgan, a spokesperson for London’s West End, said: “Tonight marked a landmarkmoment for London’s West End as 20 iconic streets came together to mark the start ofChristmas.

"Having lost out on Christmas last year, 2021 has to be about getting the chanceto really cherish that joy that you get in the lead up to Christmas and where better to do thisthan the West End.

"Where visitors can experience the very best restaurants and overnight stays, iconic West End theatres shows and shopping like no other, all within walking distance – no other city in the world can offer this kind of experience.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London is the greatest city in the world andI’m thrilled that this year the West End is hosting the largest Christmas lights switch-on everseen. From our world-class shops, attractions, arts, and culture to our incredible bars andrestaurants - all of which will be sparkling under more than a million lights – there is somuch to see and do this festive season.

"With just six weeks to go until Christmas, I’m urging Londoners and visitors to enjoy the best our capital has to offer, see the amazing lights and support our hospitality industry to continue to bounce back. My message to Londoners and tourists from all over the UK and the world is, Let’s Do Christmas in London!”

The 20 streets taking part in the switch on November 12 include Baker Street, Bond Street, Bruton Street, Conduit Street, Duke Street, James Street, Jermyn Street, Leicester Square, North Audley Street, Oxford Street, Portman Square, Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Princes Arcade, Regent Street, Savile Row, South Molton Street, St James’s, St James’s Market, St Christopher’s Place plus surrounding streets.

Streets full of colour

In keeping with the West End’s commitment to sustainability, all of this year’s Christmas lightsutilise the latest in LED technology, which provide energy savings of up to 75 per cent againstconventional lighting.

Plus, retailers across the West End have sustainable festive offerings for those looking to shop more sustainably. 60 per cent of products in Selfridges’ Christmas store are sustainably sourced and John Lewis has a ‘Makers Market’ pop-up shop for local artists and makers.