Stratford Place

Stratford Place is a small conservation area located in central Westminster. It includes a short section of Wigmore Street to the north and Oxford Street marks the southern boundary.

This is a lively conservation area with a strongly urban character and mixed townscape. At the centre is Stratford Place itself. Laid out in 1771, this short street was conceived of as a symmetrical 'palazzo' composition closed by Stratford House and flanked by two terraces of grand townhouses. Its most notable characteristic is the formality of its buildings, in contrast to the more eclectic mix along Oxford Street.

The small section of frontage to Oxford Street is characterised by large-scale buildings with a commercial character. The most notable of these is Selfridges, a grand Beaux Arts stone clad department store. In the streets immediately north of Oxford Street, the atmosphere changes. Here, pedestrianised routes are enclosed by simple Victorian terraces and social housing, with a range of individual shops and restaurants at ground floor level.

The Stratford Place Conservation Area was designated in 1968 and extended in 1972 and 1990.