Kensington High Street
Encyclopedia
Kensington High Street is the main shopping street in Kensington
, west London
. The area is identified in the London Plan
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Kensington High Street is the continuation of Kensington Road
and part of the A315. It starts by the entrance to Kensington Palace
and runs westward through central Kensington. Near Kensington (Olympia) station
, where the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
ends and Hammersmith
begins, it ends and becomes Hammersmith Road. The street is served by High Street Kensington
underground station.
Kensington High Street is one of western London's most popular shopping streets, with upmarket shops serving a wealthy area. From the late 19th century until the mid 1970s the street had three classic department store
s: Barkers, Derry & Toms
and Pontings. Barkers bought Pontings in 1906 and Derry & Toms in 1920, but continued to run all three as separate entities. In a big building project which started in 1930 and was not complete until 1958 (the Second World War halted the project), the company made Derry & Toms and Barkers into Art Deco
palaces. On top of Derry & Toms, Europe's largest roof garden area
(1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²)) was created, consisting of three different gardens with 500 species of plants, fountains, a stream, duck, flamingos and a restaurant - said to serve the best high tea in Kensington.
In 1957 House of Fraser
bought the Barkers Group and started to dismantle it. Pontings was closed in 1971, Derry & Toms in 1973, and a much condensed Barkers (from 600000 square feet (55,741.8 m²) over seven floors to 140000 square feet (13,006.4 m²) on less than four floors) was allowed to continue until January 2006, when the 135 year old department store was closed for good.
Part of the Barker premises has now been taken over by American Whole Foods Market
, which has opened the UK's first organic
superstore there in June 2007. The rest was added to existing office space used by the headquarters of Associated Newspapers
.
Kensington High Street was also the site of Biba
in the 1960s and early 1970s. When Derry & Toms closed, the iconic store took the building and accentuated its Art Deco style further. But the 1970s recession, coupled with idealistic business ideas, killed Biba in 1975. The Derry & Toms roof gardens still remain, now known as the Kensington Roof Gardens
and owned since 1981 by Richard Branson
's Virgin
.
Kensington High Street's future as a shopping street has been threatened by the large Westfield London
, which opened a short distance away in Shepherd's Bush
in late 2008.
However, these factors may be offset to some extent - or even outweighed - by recent changes to the road layout, intended to make the street a more pleasant place to shop. The local council (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
) decided to experiment with the concept of shared space
, which deputy leader Daniel Moylan had studied abroad. Railings and pedestrian crossings were removed, thereby enabling pedestrians to cross the street wherever they choose. Bicycle racks were placed on the central reservation. The effect over two years was a dramatic cut in accidents, down 44% against a London average of 17%.
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The area is identified in the London Plan
London Plan
The London Plan is a planning document written by the Mayor of London, England in the United Kingdom and published by the Greater London Authority. The plan was first published in final form on 10 February 2004 and has since been amended. The current version was published in February 2008...
as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Kensington High Street is the continuation of Kensington Road
Kensington Road
Kensington Road is a section of road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, forming part of the A315. It runs along the south edge of Kensington Gardens. To the west it becomes Kensington High Street, to the east it becomes Kensington Gore...
and part of the A315. It starts by the entrance to Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
and runs westward through central Kensington. Near Kensington (Olympia) station
Kensington (Olympia) station
Kensington station is a station in West London managed and served by London Overground and also served by Southern and London Underground. It is in Travelcard Zone 2...
, where the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
ends and Hammersmith
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
begins, it ends and becomes Hammersmith Road. The street is served by High Street Kensington
High Street Kensington tube station
High Street Kensington is a London Underground station at Kensington High Street.The station is on the Circle Line between Gloucester Road and Notting Hill Gate, and the District Line between Earl's Court and Notting Hill Gate. It is in Travelcard Zone 1....
underground station.
Kensington High Street is one of western London's most popular shopping streets, with upmarket shops serving a wealthy area. From the late 19th century until the mid 1970s the street had three classic department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s: Barkers, Derry & Toms
Derry & Toms
Derry & Toms was a London department store.The company dates back to the 1860s, when Joseph Toms, a store proprietor joined forces with his brother-in-law, Charles Derry...
and Pontings. Barkers bought Pontings in 1906 and Derry & Toms in 1920, but continued to run all three as separate entities. In a big building project which started in 1930 and was not complete until 1958 (the Second World War halted the project), the company made Derry & Toms and Barkers into Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
palaces. On top of Derry & Toms, Europe's largest roof garden area
Kensington Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens is a roof garden covering 6,000 m² on top of the former Derry and Toms building on Kensington High Street, in central London, in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
(1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²)) was created, consisting of three different gardens with 500 species of plants, fountains, a stream, duck, flamingos and a restaurant - said to serve the best high tea in Kensington.
In 1957 House of Fraser
House of Fraser
House of Fraser is a British department store group with over 60 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891 it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century, but after the Second...
bought the Barkers Group and started to dismantle it. Pontings was closed in 1971, Derry & Toms in 1973, and a much condensed Barkers (from 600000 square feet (55,741.8 m²) over seven floors to 140000 square feet (13,006.4 m²) on less than four floors) was allowed to continue until January 2006, when the 135 year old department store was closed for good.
Part of the Barker premises has now been taken over by American Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
, which has opened the UK's first organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
superstore there in June 2007. The rest was added to existing office space used by the headquarters of Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers
Associated Newspapers is a large national newspaper publisher in the UK, which is a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust. The group was established in 1905 and is currently based at Northcliffe House in Kensington...
.
Kensington High Street was also the site of Biba
Biba
Biba was an iconic and popular London fashion store of the 1960s and 1970s. It was started and primarily run by the Polish-born Barbara Hulanicki with help of her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon.-Early years:...
in the 1960s and early 1970s. When Derry & Toms closed, the iconic store took the building and accentuated its Art Deco style further. But the 1970s recession, coupled with idealistic business ideas, killed Biba in 1975. The Derry & Toms roof gardens still remain, now known as the Kensington Roof Gardens
Kensington Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens is a roof garden covering 6,000 m² on top of the former Derry and Toms building on Kensington High Street, in central London, in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
and owned since 1981 by Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
's Virgin
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
.
Kensington High Street's future as a shopping street has been threatened by the large Westfield London
Westfield London
Westfield London is a shopping centre in White City in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The centre was developed by the Westfield Group at a cost of £1.6bn,...
, which opened a short distance away in Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
in late 2008.
However, these factors may be offset to some extent - or even outweighed - by recent changes to the road layout, intended to make the street a more pleasant place to shop. The local council (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
) decided to experiment with the concept of shared space
Shared space
Shared space is an urban design concept aimed at integrated use of public spaces. It encourages traffic engineers, urban planners and experts from other fields to consult with users of public space when planning and designing streets and squares in both built and non-built environments...
, which deputy leader Daniel Moylan had studied abroad. Railings and pedestrian crossings were removed, thereby enabling pedestrians to cross the street wherever they choose. Bicycle racks were placed on the central reservation. The effect over two years was a dramatic cut in accidents, down 44% against a London average of 17%.
External links
- The story of John Barker & Co Ltd, Kensington, London, from Michael Moss and Alison Turton, A Legend of Retailing: House of Fraser, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1989.
- Remembering Barkers of Kensington 1870-2006 Images from the Barker & Co archives