The West End landscape is changing

The geography of London’s West End is changing. It occurred to me as I sat in the Phoenix Theatre’s swanky new bar last week, drinking a coffee before a meeting. Slowly but surely, new networks and patterns are forming as fresh venues open up and the balance of power in central London sways.

The main example of this is the northern area of Charing Cross Road – with the creation of premium new West End house @sohoplace – an incredibly accessible and well-positioned space that has already produced some top-notch programming in its first year of work.

@sohoplace also functions as a perfect connecting tissue between the Phoenix Theatre, which has just opened an overwhelming five-star bonanza in the form of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and the often nebulous Dominion Theatre, which has three big productions on its 2024 roster, including the UK premiere production of The Devil Wears Prada, transferring from Plymouth. If both shows end up being big bankers, they’re located right in the midst of the major new Tottenham Court Road development, with speedy Elizabeth Line access. Given such a large portion of the Stranger Things punters are first-timers, this can only be a good thing for the health of London’s central theatreland.

The money pouring into these areas is having a ripple effect. The refurbished Phoenix Arts Club, underneath the West End house of the same name, is benefitting from the neighbour above with a small overhaul. The former cinema, the Saville Theatre, is looking for a new tennant that may end up being Cirque du Soleil.

The redevelopment of the Seven Dials area has brought in new spots for restaurants and pop-up stores, as well as the well-attended new Theatre Café Diner, a culinary ode to the theatre fans who return to shows regularly. Even the modifications outside the Shaftesbury Theatre mean that part of town has more of a pull.

As streets around Oxford Street become pedestrianised, so too will London change shape. Tourists are coming back in their droves, and it seems that the West End is already responding with new offerings. It will be fascinating to see how other locations across the UK do something similar in these ever turbulent, post-lockdown times.