West End is the best end

Jun 16 2007 By Paul New, The Evening Chronicle

Eastenders is an institution in our house, the only notable exception being yours truly.

However, for Eastenders read Westenders after a trip to London which resulted in a distinct shift of allegiance to a part of the capital which could be a million miles from the "apples and pears" world inhabited by the Beals.

We were there at the invitation of the New West End Company, eager to promote the attractions on offer in that part of the capital, both in terms of shopping and the nightlife.

Not being an enthusiastic shopper, the opportunity to find out what the West End had to offer was one I had to think twice about. Swayed by the fact the trip coincided with my wife's birthday we spent a weekend in the capital sampling not only the West End's shops but also the night life. And I have to admit - we had a ball.

We were staying in the Langham Hotel, so central from our room we looked down on the junction leading to Regent Street. The hotel, next to the BBC's nerve centre in Portland Place, was classically elegant - from the spacious and luxurious-appointed rooms to the friendly and efficient service, it could not be faulted. And the refurbished Artesian cocktail bar, of which the staff are rightly proud, is definitely one of THE places to be seen.

As a music lover, the part of our itinerary I looked forward to most was a visit to Ronnie Scott's, the jazz club which has been on the go now for over 40 years. My sense of anticipation did not prove unfounded - it was small and cramped but that only added to the atmosphere as we tucked into a hearty supper and marvelled at the musicianship.

The following night and the entertainment was on a far grander scale as we took in Lord Of The Rings - The Musical, a hugely ambitious production.

While lunch at Selfridges on Oxford Street, was most enjoyable, the culinary highlight was a trip to Haiku, just off Regent Street.

The food was a mouth-watering combination of Japanese and Indian -the only drawback being we had to wolf it down as we were running late.

Going shopping with my wife is a fraught with the possibility of seeing the credit card take a battering, and as this trip coincided with her birthday the threat to my wallet was even greater. There was relief that the clothes in Regent Street's trendiest shops like COS, Desigual and Hoss Intropia (the latter two Spanish) were apparently fabulous but just a little TOO young. Phew!

But that turned to dread when we wandered to Tiffany's in Bond Street. After a whistle-stop tour I was informed this was where the birthday present would come from. As we were in a party being shown around, we didn't have time to make the purchase, so I was told we would be returning.

We did, on the Sunday morning, only thing was Tiffany's was closed. Did I escape without being hit in the pocket? What do you think? There are plenty of other shops, including the flagship stores for a large number of international brands, open on a Sunday morning!

If you are a real shopaholic then a visit to Selfridges must be heaven. I thought I misheard when the shop's PR person told us our tour would take an hour. But when I tell you it boasts 19 bars and restaurants you get an idea of the scale. "Everything from botox to bacon sarnies under one roof," she proudly announced.

On my knees by this stage, I jumped at the chance of a facial (no sniggering) at a New Bond Street store called Whole Man. It was the most relaxing half hour I have enjoyed in a long time!

Come Sunday lunchtime we somewhat reluctantly bade farewell to the bright de-lights of the capital and hopped on our GNER train back to Newcastle, sure in the knowledge that this was one experience that we would love to repeat.

For whoever first coined the phrase "go west, young man" must have been giving someone pointers on where to visit in the capital for the ultimate weekend break.

Shops and bars galore

Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street form the largest concentration of shops in the world and together boast four miles of shopping streets.

London's West End has over 600 retailers, 120 of which are international brands and 95 of which are flagship stores.

80 new retailers have opened in the West End in the past three years.

There are over 200 bars, cafes and restaurants in London's West End.

Every year, the West End welcomes over 200 million visitors (more than the populations of Germany, France and the UK combined), making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK.

Of tourists to the West End, 50% are international and 50% are domestic (from elsewhere in the UK).

For further information on London's West End and to plan your trip, go to www. newwestend.com

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