Carnaby Street, Shopping street in City of Westminster, England
Carnaby Street is a 260-meter pedestrian zone in central London lined with fashion boutiques, restaurants, and design shops. The street is closed to traffic and bordered by two- to four-story buildings on each side.
The street took shape in the 17th century as part of a residential district and remained relatively quiet until the 1950s. During the 1960s it became a center for youth culture when fashion designers opened their first shops.
The name comes from Carnaby House, a large 17th-century residence that once occupied the area. Today visitors recognize the street by its colorful signage and flags stretched overhead.
The nearest underground stations Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus lie within a few minutes' walk, and many bus routes serve the surrounding streets. Most shops open around 10 in the morning and close by early evening, so a morning or afternoon visit works best.
The street's name comes from Karnaby House, built in 1683 to the east; the origin of the name itself is unknown. In 1934 Amy Ashwood Garvey and Sam Manning opened the Florence Mills Social Club at number 50, a jazz club that drew supporters of Pan-Africanism. Two green plaques now mark the street: one at number 1 for John Stephen, another at 52/55 for the Small Faces and manager Don Arden.
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