Bond Street

Bond Street lies in the West End of London, running between Piccadilly to the south and Oxford Street to the north. The southern stretch is called Old Bond Street and the longer northern stretch New Bond Street, though people usually speak of Bond Street as one. The street was built on fields that once surrounded Clarendon House on Piccadilly, developed by Sir Thomas Bond in the 1720s. By the late 18th century it had become a fashionable place for Mayfair’s upper classes to walk and shop. The Bond Street Loungers, wealthy idlers in elaborate wigs, paraded here in the 1790s. The street still hosts auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Bonhams, alongside luxury shops like Tiffany & Co. The street’s history includes famous residents and visitors. Lord Nelson lodged here between 1797 and 1798, and Emma, Lady Hamilton, stayed nearby later. The Grosvenor Gallery opened in 1877 with exhibition rooms and a library, though a libel case involving John Ruskin and James McNeill Whistler overshadowed its early years. A Kabbalah Centre opened in 1856 after Sarah Levenson’s shop drew crowds, despite her fraud convictions. The Royal Arcade, built in 1879, links Old Bond Street with Albemarle Street, replacing an earlier hotel. Today Bond Street is lined with narrow shopfronts, many under 20 feet wide, packed with haute couture and designer brands. The Royal Arcade’s glass-roofed passage offers a quieter route between streets. Sotheby’s entrance features an ancient Egyptian sculpture dated around 1600 BC, the oldest outdoor sculpture in London. The street remains one of the most expensive retail strips in the world, drawing both shoppers and thieves. Despite strict conservation rules, its reputation for luxury endures into the 21st century.