104-529: Leek Embroidery Society (also known as The Leek Society, or The Society ) was established in 1879 in Leek, Staffordshire . It was known for producing both domestic and ecclesiastical embroidery work, which was granted prestigious awards for its fineness and high quality. The Society also developed a form of embroidery using tussar silk and aimed to promote art embroidery and fine needlework which would be shown in many international exhibitions. The establishment of
208-847: A ban on private vehicles during daytime hours on weekdays and Saturdays (in place since the 1970s), widened pavements and improved pedestrian crossings. Oxford Street runs for approximately 1.2 mi (1.9 km) and is entirely within the City of Westminster . The road begins at St Giles Circus as a westward continuation of New Oxford Street, meeting Charing Cross Road , Tottenham Court Road (next to Tottenham Court Road station ). It runs past Rathbone Place , Wardour Street and Great Portland Street to Oxford Circus , where it meets Regent Street . From there it continues past New Bond Street , Bond Street station and Vere Street , ending at Marble Arch . The route continues as Bayswater Road and Holland Park Avenue towards Shepherd's Bush . The road
312-525: A bandstand; a bowling green was opened in 1923, and swimming baths were opened in 1975. North of the park is Brough Park Fields Nature Reserve, about 2 hectares (5 acres) of open meadows and young woodland; there are walking trails, with views towards the Roaches . Birch Gardens, by Buxton Road at the junction with Prince Street, is a public garden in Leek. There are flower beds, grassed areas, pathways and
416-453: A centre of protest against the lack of suitable accommodation in central London. In 2015, building work began to convert it into residential flats, with development initially expected to finish in 2017. The restoration and conversion was completed in March 2018. Much as had been the case at its original opening, the refurbished tower remains largely empty, with few windows lit in the evenings,
520-467: A cluster of taller tower blocks provided office space. Begun in 1959 the work was largely completed within two years; it was one of the largest post-war redevelopment projects to be undertaken in the West End. From August 1963 until April 1968 part of Oxford Street had to be closed to traffic so that Oxford Circus tube station could be rebuilt to incorporate the new Victoria line , which began serving
624-536: A flagship Next store was opened on the site. The principal Topshop store by Oxford Circus shut in late 2020 after its parent company, Arcadia Group went into administration. A year later, following the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant , the Government introduced new lockdown restrictions, which caused problems with businesses along Oxford Street, which had been hampered by the pandemic since
728-654: A form of embroidery and art needlework using the tussar silk and so began the Leek Embroidery Society. Elizabeth was a supporter of the Art Needlework method and wanted the Society to promote art embroidery. Elizabeth has been called a leading practitioner of the art, inspired by the likes of William Morris . She knew Morris through her husband, Thomas Wardle, who worked with Morris developing natural vegetable dyes . The Leek Embroidery Society's work
832-479: A gold medal for rowing in the 2012 Olympics . Footballer Arthur Hulme (1877–1916) was born in Leek. Former England test cricketer Kim Barnett was born and lives in Leek. Other notable residents include: Leek's " Double Sunset " on and around the summer solstice attracts many tourists. This event, first recorded by Robert Plot , occurs when the sun sets behind the Cloud , subsequently partially reappearing in
936-545: A live music venue since 24 October 1942. It was thought to be safe from bombing threats because of its underground location, and played host to jazz musicians, including Glenn Miller . It was renamed the London Jazz Club in 1948, and subsequently the Humphrey Lyttelton Club after he took over the lease in the 1950s. Louis Armstrong played at the venue during this time. It became a key venue for
1040-461: A major coaching route, there were several obstacles along it, including the bridge over the Tyburn. A turnpike trust was established in 1721 to improve upkeep of the road. It became notorious as the route taken by prisoners on their final journey from Newgate Prison to the gallows at Tyburn. Spectators jeered as the prisoners were carted along the road, and could buy rope used in the executions from
1144-527: A mount of heather on top of which a moorcock is resting his claw on a small-weave shuttle. The motto Arte favente nil desperandum translates to: Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair. The town has had a regular cattle market for hundreds of years, reflecting its role as a centre of local farming . Following the Industrial Revolution it was a major producer of textiles , with silk working in particular coming to dominate
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#17327905615171248-480: A new form of embroidery in the hopes that it would encourage needlewomen to use his silks. Thomas wished to expand his silk dyeing business by dyeing fibre which he had sourced in India. He promoted tussar silk to the Leek embroiders and imported tussar silk in woven form however, the Leek embroiders were only interested in the dyed yarns as this was more suitable for embroidery thread . Thomas’s wife Elizabeth developed
1352-535: A retail location, with many British retail chains having their flagship stores on the street, and has a number of listed buildings . Unlike nearby shopping streets such as Bond Street , it has retained an element of downmarket trading alongside more prestigious retail stores. Generally speaking, the eastern end of Oxford Street features a higher proportion of more downmarket retailers, fast food restaurants and souvenir shops whilst more exclusive and upmarket stores can be found towards its western end which passes close to
1456-487: A variety of trees and shrubs. It was created by an arrangement in which Mr Birch, a local businessman, gave land to LUDC in return for drainage facilities being provided for his silk manufacturing business; the gardens were laid out by Birch, and LUDC agreed to maintain the gardens. They were opened in December 1935 by Councillor H. Morton, to mark the silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary . On 8 May 2018 there
1560-533: Is based on Macclesfield Road, where they have a club house and four grass pitches, although league matches are played on their own astroturf pitch at Leek High School as well as at Westwood College . The club competes in the Midlands Hockey League . Previous players have included Olympic gold medallist Imran Sherwani and England and GB international Scott Cordon. Leek Cricket Club is also based on Macclesfield Road. Leek Archery Club use
1664-607: Is being directed under the Reconnect Leek banner, and forms part of proposals to reopen the Stoke - Leek line, which survived as a goods-only line to serve the former sand quarry at Oakamoor . Local TV coverage is provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central . Television signals are received from the Sutton Coldfield and local relay transmitters. BBC North West and ITV Granada can also be received from
1768-735: Is part of the University of the Arts London , formerly the London Institute. The Salvation Army opened Regent Hall , its first Central London venue, at Nos. 275–279 Oxford Street in 1882. It served as a base for poverty relief , street missions and a Salvation Army band . Rebuilt in 1959–1960, the hall remains in Salvation Army use. The cosmetics retailer Lush opened a store in 2015. Measuring 9,300 sq ft (860 m ) and containing three floors, it
1872-516: Is renowned for its large collection of birds. Also nearby is Coombes Valley RSPB reserve , an RSPB reserve since 1963, with walks and trails through a wooded valley. Deep Hayes Country Park , created around a former reservoir, is a short distance south-west on the A53 road. The town of Leek is served by First Potteries . There is a generally hourly service on route 18 to Hanley and 16 on an alternative route via Cellarhead. There are also bus services to
1976-529: Is still held dates from a grant of John to the earl of Chester: in the 17th century it was very considerable. A fair, also granted by John, beginning on the third day before the Translation of Edward the Confessor is still held. The silk manufacture which can be traced to the latter part of the 17th century is thought to have been aided by the settlement in Leek of some Huguenots after the revocation of
2080-592: Is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. King John granted Ranulph de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester , the right to hold a weekly Wednesday market and an annual seven-day fair in Leek in 1207. Leek's coat of arms is a saltire shield. On the top is the Stafford knot , either side is the Leek double sunset and below a gold garb. The crest is a mural crown with three mulberry leaves on
2184-586: Is the company's largest retail premises. Two large hotels dominate the western (Marble Arch) end of the street: the red brick Mount Royal Hotel (now the Amba) was built in 1933–1934 to a design by Francis Lorne ; while the Portland stone -fronted Cumberland Hotel, by F. J.Wills, opened in 1933 (it was renamed the Hard Rock Hotel in 2018). Oxford Street has several Grade II listed buildings. In addition,
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#17327905615172288-808: Is therefore sometimes referred to as the Gateway to the Peak District , although the town is more often referred to as the Queen of the Moorlands. Leek (Lee, Leike, Leeke) formed part of the great estates of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia ; it escheated to William the Conqueror who held it at the time of the Domesday Survey . Later it passed to the earls Palatine of Chester , remaining in their hands until Ralph de Blundevill, earl of Chester, gave it to
2392-681: Is within the London Congestion Charging Zone . It is part of the A40 , most of which is a trunk road running from London to Fishguard (via Oxford , Cheltenham , Brecon and Haverfordwest ). Like many roads in Central London that are no longer through routes, it is not signposted with that number. Numerous bus routes run along Oxford Street, including the 55, 73, 94, 98, 159, 390 and Night Buses N8, N55, N73, N98 and N207. {{{annotations}}} Oxford Street follows
2496-578: The A40 , a major road between London and Fishguard , though it is not signed as such, and traffic is regularly restricted to buses and taxis. The road was originally part of the Via Trinobantina, a Roman road between Essex and Hampshire via London. It was known as Tyburn Road through the Middle Ages when it was notorious for public hangings of prisoners at Tyburn Gallows . It became known as Oxford Road and then Oxford Street in
2600-517: The Edict of Nantes . In the 17th and 18th centuries the town was famous for its ale . Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through Leek on his march to Derby (1745) and again on his return journey to Scotland. A story in connexion with the Civil Wars is told to explain the expression "Now thus" occurring on the tombstone of a citizen, who by this meaningless answer to all questions sought escape on
2704-788: The North West Counties Football League Division One . They were founder members of the Staffordshire County League in 1984, and were league champions in 1996. Ball Haye Green FC founded in 1880 play in the Staffordshire County Senior League and most recently won the Staffordshire FA Vase in 2017. In 2016, Staffordshire Moorlands FC were set up in the town and began their first season in the league pyramid. Leek Hockey Club
2808-479: The Northern line thirty years later). Development continued through the first half of the 20th century, with Bourne & Hollingsworth opening in 1902. When Waring & Gillow opened their new store in 1906 it became the first West End store to occupy an entire city block . Selfridges opened on 15 March 1909 at No. 400; it promptly had a 'transformative influence on Britain's retail scene, elevating
2912-526: The Queen Anne style , in 1882. That this building is tucked away behind the 17th-century 'Greystones' is a further indication of Larner's regard for old buildings. Larner would not countenance demolition of the old building, and so, as the Nicholsons owned the land to the rear, that is where the institute was built. Larner cleverly incorporated the busts of Shakespeare, Newton, Reynolds and Tennyson into
3016-573: The Sex Pistols , the Damned and the Buzzcocks . The Flying Horse (formerly The Tottenham) is a Grade II* listed pub at No. 6 Oxford Street, near Tottenham Court Road. It was built in the mid-19th century and is the last remaining pub in the street, which once had 20. The London College of Fashion has an Oxford Street campus on John Prince's Street near Oxford Circus. The college
3120-805: The USA and Germany , before finding its final home at Reading Museum in 1895. The replica of the Bayeux Tapestry is the most notable work made by the Leek Embroidery Society. The Society’s work was in demand until around 1900 and was sold in Wardle’s shop in New Bond Street, William Morris’s shop in Oxford Street , Liberty & Co in Regent Street and at Debenham & Freebody , off Oxford Street. Elizabeth Wardle died in 1902, and
3224-425: The University of Oxford and former Warden of Keble College grew up in Leek. Dave Hill, vocalist for English new wave of British heavy metal band Demon , lives in Leek and operates rides at Alton Towers. Jeff Janiak , American born vocalist of influential punk / metal band Discharge and former vocalist of Broken Bones resides in Leek. James Ford , English musical composer, record producer and musician in
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3328-457: The West End of London , running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus . It marks the notional boundary between the areas of Fitzrovia and Marylebone to the north, with Soho and Mayfair to its immediate south. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and as of 2012 had approximately 300 shops. It is designated as part of
3432-479: The Winter Hill TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Stoke , Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire , Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire and Moorlands Radio , a community based radio station which broadcast from the town. The Sentinel is the town's local newspaper. The town's first known football club was Leek F.C. It was formed in the late 1870s, and wound up in
3536-446: The abbey of Dieulacresse , which continued to hold it until its dissolution. The same earl in a charter which he gave to the town ( temp . John) calls it a borough and grants to his free burgesses various privileges, including freedom from toll throughout Cheshire. These privileges were confirmed by Richard, abbot of Dieulacresse, but the town received no royal charter and failed to establish its burghal position. The Wednesday market which
3640-517: The hangman in taverns. By about 1729, the road had become known as Oxford Street. Development began in the 18th century after many surrounding fields were purchased by the Earl of Oxford . In 1739, a local gardener, Thomas Huddle, built property on the north side. After Lord Oxford's death the estate was inherited by his daughter the Duchess of Portland ; it then passed down to successive dukes as
3744-630: The trad jazz revival, hosting gigs by Chris Barber and Acker Bilk . It was renamed the 100 Club in 1964 after Roger Horton bought a stake, adding an alcohol licence for the first time. The venue hosted gigs by several British rock bands, including the Who , the Kinks and the Animals . It was an important venue for punk rock in the UK and hosted the first British punk festival on 21 September 1976, featuring
3848-703: The 1890s. Leek has four football clubs. Leek Town F.C. , founded in 1946, are based at Harrison Park and play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. They were founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 and in 1997 they were Northern Premier League champions and gained promotion to the Football Conference . Leek CSOB , founded in 1945, groundshare with Leek Town at Harrison Park and play in
3952-603: The 18th century, and began to change from residential to commercial and retail use, attracting street traders, confidence tricksters and prostitution. Department stores began to dominate the streetscape from the early 20th century, the most imposing of all being Selfridges (which opened in 1909). The street suffered heavy bombing during World War II , and several longstanding stores including John Lewis & Partners were completely destroyed and rebuilt from scratch. Despite competition from out-of-town shopping centres and online retailers , Oxford Street remains in high demand as
4056-683: The Central London Railway (now the Central line of the London Underground), which runs under Oxford Street for part of its course, began in 1896, which necessitated the development of four new station buildings on or near the street, at Marble Arch , Bond Street , Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road . Of the three chief engineers of the project, only Benjamin Baker lived to see the railway completed. On 27 June 1900,
4160-576: The Leek Embroidery Society also led to the founding of the Leek School of Art Embroidery. During the 1870s, Art Needlework (or art embroidery) gained popularity in Britain and became a common method for embroiders to use and teach. This method of embroidery was a reaction against the repetitive and unskilled needlework known as Berlin wool work , which had been immensely popular since the 1830s amongst leisured ladies. These societies aimed to improve
4264-485: The Macclesfield Road site for outdoor shooting as well as a private indoor range in the town centre. Leek & District Gun Club previously hosted monthly Clay Pigeon shoots at Westwood Farm, west of Leek. The club closed on 26 December 2020. Leek RUFC bears the name of the town but is based in nearby Cheddleton . Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in
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4368-621: The Metropolitan Police, was killed while defusing a bomb planted by the IRA in the basement toilet of a Wimpy Bar on Oxford Street. The IRA also detonated a bomb at the John Lewis department store in December 1992, along with another in nearby Cavendish Square , injuring four people. The human billboard Stanley Green began selling on Oxford Street in 1968, advertising his belief in the link of proteins to sexual libido and
4472-660: The Northern section of the Churnet Valley Line to Macclesfield was closed in 1960; the Southern section to Uttoxeter closed in 1965. Leek railway station was completely demolished in 1973 and the site is now occupied by a Morrisons supermarket. The Churnet Valley line now operates as a heritage railway and is located to the south of the town; services run between Kingsley & Froghall and Ipstones . Another 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (2.4 km) section of
4576-550: The Portland Estate, before becoming the Howard de Walden Estate in 1879 (by way of the 5th Duke 's sister). The Howard de Walden Estate progressively sold off its Oxford Street holdings (which lay on the north side between Marylebone Lane and Wells Street ) in the first half of the twentieth century. Other landowning estates held sway over the western end of Oxford Street: most of the northern side west of Duke Street
4680-469: The Portman Estate. The Pantheon , a place for public entertainment, opened at No. 173 in 1772. The street became popular for entertainment including bear-baiters , theatres and public houses . However, it was not attractive to the middle and upper classes due to the nearby Tyburn gallows and the notorious St Giles rookery , or slum. The gallows were removed in 1783, and by the end of
4784-587: The Prince of Wales (who became King Edward VII the following year) ceremonially opened the line and public services began on 30 July. The line's route below Oxford Street made it the first railway to provide a direct service to the theatre and shopping areas of the West End and the City. The Bakerloo line came to Oxford Circus on 10 March 1906, and the Hampstead line to Tottenham Court Road on 22 June 1907 (it became
4888-566: The UK's high streets. The frontage to Oxford Street was, on completion, the largest shop façade in London. Marks & Spencer has two stores on Oxford Street. The first, Marks & Spencer Marble Arch, is at the junction with Orchard Street; it was opened in 1930. The second branch, which opened eight years later, is between Regent Street and Tottenham Court Road, on the former site of the Pantheon. Both premises were significantly expanded in
4992-429: The Wardle’s' home. Amongst the items sold were home furnishings such as cushions, drapes, and antimacassars . By 1885, thirty-seven ladies of the Leek School of Art Embroidery Society began work on a replica of the Bayeux Tapestry . Elizabeth had seen the real Bayeux Tapestry while at an exhibition and believed that Britain should have its own version. Work took a year and the replica was exhibited across Britain, and in
5096-455: The West End, particularly Oxford Street. Many buildings were damaged, either from direct hits or subsequent fires, including four department stores: John Lewis, Selfridges, Bourne & Hollingsworth and Peter Robinson. George Orwell wrote in his diary for 24 September that Oxford Street was "completely empty of traffic, and only a few pedestrians", and saw "innumerable fragments of broken glass". John Lewis caught fire again on 25 September and
5200-485: The activity or ambience of its namesake; but in its central section a number of original 1840s stuccoed buildings have survived, providing a glimpse of its former character. Centre Point , at the corner of New Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road, was one of London's first skyscrapers; it was designed by property developer Harry Hyams and opened in 1966. It failed to find a suitable tenant and remained empty for many years before being occupied by squatters who used it as
5304-464: The axis of Oxford Street eastwards from St Giles Circus. Previously, the route into the City of London had deviated southwards at this point, to skirt around the ancient settlement of St Giles with its leper hospital . The building of the new street involved much slum clearance , but did not entirely eradicate the notorious old rookeries. Once a fashionable shopping street, a preponderance of office buildings has led to New Oxford Street no longer sharing
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#17327905615175408-528: The band Simian Mobile Disco was born in Stoke-on-Trent and grew up in Leek "playing bass and singing in bands by the age of ten." Also, he has produced the Arctic Monkeys and Depeche Mode. Amongst sports people associated with the town, the best known person is former five-time world professional darts champion Eric Bristow who used to live in the town. Anna Watkins , born in Leek, won
5512-546: The building representing 400 years of artistic and scientific achievement from the 16th to the 19th century and embracing literature, science, art and poetry. In 1899 came the Technical Schools and the Co-operative Society Hall. Although the original town centre cattle market was demolished and replaced with a bus station and shopping centre in the 1960s, the new cattle market was built on
5616-407: The case until their withdrawal from the UK market in 2001). It is notable that all the aforementioned department stores were or are on the north side of the street. Whether this was down to a preference for south-facing shop fronts, or there being better access routes to the north for deliveries and services, or something akin to coincidence remains an open question. Some large stores were opened on
5720-490: The century, Oxford Street was built up from St Giles Circus to Park Lane , containing a mix of residential houses, shops and places of entertainment. Oxford Circus was designed as part of the development of Regent Street by the architect John Nash in 1810. It was later rebuilt (the four quadrants of the circus as seen today were designed by Sir Henry Tanner and constructed between 1913 and 1928). The Pantheon closed as an entertainment venue in 1814 (twenty years later it
5824-487: The concept of a department store as a social and cultural institution open to everyone, with innovative window dressing, exceptional customer service and masterly advertising'. Shoemakers Lilley & Skinner acquired the lease of 358–360 Oxford Street in 1914; they later expanded into Nos. 356–366, reputedly becoming the world's largest shoe store in 1921. In 1922 C&A purchased Nos. 376–384 (before long C&A had three stores on Oxford Street, which remained
5928-558: The cultural heritage of the town. According to the festival's website, it began as a weekly event but soon expanded to last a whole month. Leek came second in the Telegraph's "High Street of the Year 2013", behind winner Deal in Kent . Parks and open spaces in Leek include Westwood Recreation Ground and Woodcroft Recreation Ground west of the town centre, and Pickwood Recreation Ground to
6032-425: The dangers therein. He regularly patrolled the street with a placard headlined "less passion from less protein", and advertised his pamphlet Eight Passion Proteins with Care until his death in 1993. His placards are now housed in the British Museum . The opening of Britain's first out-of-town shopping centre at Brent Cross in 1976 prompted experiments with mall-style shopping precincts on Oxford Street. West One
6136-444: The design of the railway stations for the Churnet Valley Railway brought him to the area. In the following year William's son, Larner Sugden, was born. After schooling in Yorkshire , Larner returned to Leek in 1866 to be apprenticed to his father as an architect, and thus was formed the famous Sugden & Son (Architects), whose influence on the town was to be profound. The firm had offices in Derby Street. The building still survives,
6240-461: The destruction of the Palm Court Restaurant. The basement was converted to a communications base, with a dedicated line run along Oxford Street to Whitehall . The line allowed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to make secure and direct telephone calls to the US President Franklin D. Roosevelt . The store was damaged again on 6 December 1944 after a V2 rocket exploded on nearby Duke Street, causing its Christmas tree displays to collapse into
6344-440: The east. Brough Park lies immediately north of the town centre. There is formal landscaping, paths, a variety of trees and a lake. The park originated in 1913 when W. S. Brough, a local businessman, gave 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres of his Ball Haye Hall estate to Leek Urban District Council (LUDC); a further 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres was given in 1921 by Joseph Tatton, and the park was opened in 1924. There were tennis courts and
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#17327905615176448-443: The edge of town adjacent to the railway station . Later, this was one of the stations closed following Dr Beeching 's recommendations, and a supermarket now stands on the site. The Nicholson War Memorial was dedicated in 1925. Leek offers some contemporary architecture, most notably the alterations and refurbishment to Trinity Church on Derby Street (2011) and new teaching building on Horton Street for Leek College (2013). Leek
6552-421: The entire block between that street and Marylebone Lane, and was housed (from 1870) in a new building designed by Horace Jones and Octavius Hansard. What would now be called department stores began to appear on Oxford Street in the 1870s (the rebuilt Marshall & Snelgrove being one of the first). John Lewis started in 1864 in small shop at No. 132; he took on an adjacent property in 1878, and over
6656-451: The exhibition, this signified the acceptance of art needlework as a legitimate artistic medium. The Leek embroiderers often used the tussar silk floss, often dyed using Thomas Wardle's natural dyes, on woven silk brocade for the church items, and on hand-blocked silk for items meant for the home. Some of these silks were from Thomas Wardle's silk mills. In addition to the tussar floss, they used gold thread from Japan. The Leek embroidery style
6760-419: The former North Staffordshire Line. Longer term plans include the development of a North Staffordshire museum alongside the new railway station, and a new canal marina. The surrounding countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the Peak District makes the area a popular tourist destination. The town is on a key route north to Buxton via the A53 road. Just outside the town is Peak Wildlife Park , which
6864-410: The former trackbed is occupied by the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway , a 10 + 1 ⁄ 4 in (260 mm) gauge tourist line which runs beside Rudyard Lake , to the north-west of Leek. Plans are afoot to build a new station roughly half a mile south of the original, as part of bigger plans to develop the Barnfield area of Leek as a tourist attraction. The re-introduction of a railway service
6968-410: The ground floor now being occupied by Boots the Chemist . Larner was a great supporter of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and so Leek's development was in sympathetic hands. The architectural output from Sugden & Son was both prolific and varied. Some of the buildings designed by the Sugdens are as follows: The Sugden masterpiece was, perhaps, the Nicholson Institute, built in
7072-642: The hollow of the hill's steep northern side, before setting again. Plot's detailed account can be found in his book The Natural History of Staffordshire . Traditionally, the best location for seeing the double sunset was in the grounds of the parish church, but it is no longer visible from there. Locations to witness the spectacle are from Lowe Hill, on the outskirts of the town, and from the private road to Pickwood Hall, off Milltown Way. The phenomenon and its possible observation points are described in detail in Jeff Kent 's book, The Mysterious Double Sunset . Every year in May, Leek Arts Festival takes place, celebrating
7176-423: The industrial landscape. However, this industry has now ceased. The mills from the town's textile era remain and many have now been converted into housing. Britannia Building Society had its headquarters in the town and was a large local employer. Irish agricultural cooperative Ornua has its UK headquarters located in Leek, producing and purchasing butter and cheese and employing over 700 staff. Most of
7280-400: The late 1830s, remarks that almost all the street, save for the far western end, was primarily retail. Peter Robinson opened his draper's shop at 103 Oxford Street in the 1830s; by the 1890s the shop had expanded to fill the entire block between Great Portland Street and Regent Street. Likewise Marshall & Snelgrove opened on Vere Street in 1837; within 40 years it had expanded to fill
7384-440: The latter brand was withdrawn. It remained Topshop's flagship store until 2021 when (the parent company Arcadia having gone into administration) it closed. From 1970 to 1991, the fourth floor of this building was occupied by AIR Studios recording production facilities. Ikea announced they would open a store on the former TopShop site in 2023. However, this was later pushed back to the following year. The music retailer HMV
7488-563: The local football club Leek Town F.C. , Alton Towers , the cultural and leisure facilities of the city of Stoke-on-Trent , and the Peak District National Park . The Churnet Valley Railway at Cheddleton also attracts several thousand passengers a year, and they are working in partnership with Moorlands & City Railways to extend the CVR the 1 mile from its current northern terminus at Leekbrook back into Leek itself along
7592-564: The most popular destinations in London for tourists, with an annual estimated turnover of over £1 billion. It forms part of a shopping district in the West End of London , along with other streets including Covent Garden , Bond Street and Piccadilly . The New West End Company, formerly the Oxford Street Association, oversees stores and trade along the street; its objective is to make the place safe and desirable for shoppers. The group has been critical of overcrowding and
7696-534: The nearby towns of Buxton and Macclesfield . Leek no longer has its own national railway station; the nearest is now at Congleton , for local stopping services to Manchester , and Stoke-on-Trent for inter-city services to London and Manchester. The former Leek railway station was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 13 July 1849, but was finally closed in 1965. The Stoke-Leek line lost its passenger service in 1956, whilst
7800-537: The next twenty years expanded further and began rebuilding. Dan Harries Evans opened a small draper's shop at No. 147 in 1879; as D H Evans the business swiftly expanded, taking in more than a dozen properties either side of Old Cavendish Street and becoming one of London's largest drapery establishments by the mid-1890s. At the same time, smaller independent retailers continued to thrive alongside their larger counterparts, specialising in all sorts of different goods, trades and services. Meanwhile, construction of
7904-537: The plea of insanity. Listed buildings include the original parish church, St Edward the Confessor's , and a Victorian church, All Saints' , designed by Richard Norman Shaw . Many Victorian period buildings still stand in the town. Many of Leek's buildings were built by the family architectural practice of the Sugdens. In 1849 William Sugden (b. 1821 in Keighley ) came to Leek. He was an architect and his work on
8008-456: The previous year. An analyst at GlobalData said the street "has been forever changed by the closure, or in some cases, downsizing of long-standing department stores". The House of Fraser store closed in January 2022 as a result. New Oxford Street was built in 1847, in accordance with a plan of James Pennethorne , to link the eastern end of Oxford Street with High Holborn . It extends
8112-651: The quality of shops and has clamped down on abusive traders, who were then refused licences. Several British retail chains regard their Oxford Street branch as the flagship store. In 1919 Marshall & Snelgrove merged with Debenhams (which had opened in nearby Wigmore Street in 1778). The Oxford Street store continued to trade as Marshall & Snelgrove until 1972, when the rebuilt premises were reopened as Debenhams. (Debenhams' flagship Oxford Street store closed in 2021.) The London flagship store of House of Fraser began as D. H. Evans in 1879; its current premises were designed by Louis Blanc and opened in 1937. It
8216-460: The rest in darkness, despite at least half its units being sold. This has led to its being called one of London's "ghost towers". Oxford Street is home to a number of major department stores and flagship retail outlets, containing over 300 shops as of 2012. It is the most frequently visited shopping street in Inner London, attracting over half a million daily visitors in 2014, and is one of
8320-588: The route of a Roman road , the Via Trinobantina, which linked Calleva Atrebatum (near Silchester , Hampshire ) with Camulodunum (now Colchester ) via London and became one of the major routes in and out of the city. Between the 12th century and 1782, it was variously known as Tyburn Road (after the River Tyburn that crossed it north to south), Uxbridge Road (the name still used for the road between Shepherd's Bush and Uxbridge ), Worcester Road and Oxford Road. Tyburn , near where Marble Arch now stands,
8424-464: The second half of the 20th century. Topshop was conceived in the 1960s as a youth brand for Peter Robinson , and a sizeable Topshop department was opened within the flagship store on Oxford Street (which had been rebuilt in the 1920s as part of the Oxford Circus improvements). Gradually Topshop took over more of the premises, operating alongside Peter Robinson for a time in the 1970s before
8528-541: The society’s output rapidly declined. Products which made use of the society’s designs continued to be sold in the Leek shop until it was closed in the 1930s. Leek, Staffordshire Leek is a market town and civil parish in Staffordshire , England, on the River Churnet 10 miles (16 km) north east of Stoke-on-Trent . It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214. It
8632-401: The south side of the street in the 20th century: Woolworths opened its first West End store at No. 311 in 1925, followed by a handful of others in the 1930s (for example Littlewoods , which opened its first Central London store at Nos. 207–213 in 1937, later expanding into Nos. 197–205; it was rebuilt in the early 1960s but closed in the early 2000s). By the 1930s the street
8736-552: The standard of embroidery, embroidery designs, and to provide suitable employment for poor gentlefolk or women who needed to earn a living. The Leek Embroidery Society was founded in 1879 by Thomas and Elizabeth Wardle and was originally called the Leek Sewing Circle. Thomas was a silk dyer who was later knighted for his services to the silk industry and Elizabeth was a skilled English embroider. Thomas gave Elizabeth strands of tussar silk and asked her to devise
8840-777: The station on 7 March 1969, its official opening. In September 1973 a shopping-bag bomb was detonated by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at the offices of the Prudential Assurance Company , injuring six people. A second bomb was detonated by the IRA next to Selfridges in December 1974, injuring three people and causing £1.5 million worth of damage. Oxford Street was again targeted by the IRA in August 1975; an undiscovered bomb that had been booby trapped exploded without any injuries. On 26 October 1981 Kenneth Howorth , an explosives officer with
8944-429: The street outside. Damage was repaired, and the shop reopened the following day. After its main store was destroyed, John Lewis operated from properties on the other side of Holles Street (i.e. to the east) until the completion of its new store to the west. Relinquishing these properties then enabled it to purchase the whole of the west site. Subsequently the entire block between Holles Street and John Prince's Street
9048-648: The town is at or above 600 feet (180 m) and is surrounded by the higher countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands which is situated on the southern uplands of the Pennines . Leek is built on the slope and crown of a hill which is situated just a few miles south of the Roaches ; a gritstone escarpment which rises steeply to 1,657 feet (505 m). Leek is situated at the foot of the Peak District National Park and
9152-538: The wealthy Mayfair district. Some of adjacent Tottenham Court Road's famous electronics stores have spread onto its eastern extremity. The annual switching on of Christmas lights by a celebrity has been a popular event since 1959. As a popular retail area and main thoroughfare for London buses and taxis, Oxford Street has suffered from traffic congestion , pedestrian congestion, a poor safety record and pollution. Various traffic management schemes have been implemented by Transport for London (TFL) and others, including
9256-699: Was a ceremony to dedicate Birch Gardens as a Centenary Field, in memory of those who died in World War I. It was part of the Centenary Fields programme of Fields in Trust , to safeguard public spaces. A plaque to mark the occasion was unveiled by Councillor Mike Bowen. Nearby Rudyard Lake is a popular tourist attraction and home to the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway , running along its eastern shores. Other nearby local attractions are
9360-409: Was a place of public execution from 1388 to 1783 and a set of gallows stood here. On Ralph Aggas' "Plan of London", published in the 16th century, the road is described partly as "The Waye to Uxbridge" followed by "Oxford Road", showing rural farmland at the present junction of Oxford Street and Rathbone Place. By 1678 it was known as the "King's Highway", and the "Road To Oxford" by 1682. Though
9464-566: Was almost entirely retail, a state that still obtains today. However, unlike nearby streets such as Bond Street and Park Lane, there remained a seedy element including street traders and prostitutes. Gradually, as the century progressed, the independent retailers began to be replaced by chain stores . During the Second World War , Oxford Street was bombed several times. Overnight and in the early hours of 17 to 18 September 1940, 268 Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 bombers targeted
9568-578: Was and is owned by the Portman Estate ; while facing it (on the southern side) most of the land west of Davies Street was and is part of the Grosvenor estate . John Rocque's Map of London , published in 1746, shows urban buildings as far as North Audley Street (on the south side) and Marylebone Lane (on the north side), but only intermittent rural property beyond. Further development to the west occurred between 1763 and 1793, when building began on
9672-543: Was developed by the Grosvenor Estate on the corner of Davies Street as part of the rebuilding of Bond Street tube station for the Jubilee line in 1979; it opened the following year. In 1986 The Plaza shopping centre was opened within the walls of the former Bourne & Hollingsworth department store building (dating from 1925–1928), the latter having closed three years earlier. The Plaza itself closed in 2016 and
9776-429: Was erected in four stages over a twenty-two year period, having been designed by a combination of architects including D. H. Burnham & Company , Frank Atkinson , Sir John Burnet and Thomas Tait . Its construction was influenced by American high rise technology: steel framing and reinforced concrete were employed to create a large and adaptable retail space, and their use was subsequently widely adopted across
9880-431: Was opened at No. 363 Oxford Street in 1921 by Sir Edward Elgar ; the premises were twice rebuilt by Joseph Emberton in the moderne style, first in 1935 and then again in 1938–1939 (following a fire). The Beatles made their first recording in London in 1962, when they cut a 78 rpm demo disc in the store. A larger store at No. 150 (site of the old Princess's Theatre) was opened in 1986 by Bob Geldof , and
9984-565: Was recognizable by the accomplished design and the vivid colors and richness of the silk. Members of the society also did some appliqué, worked on printed fabrics. In 1883, a short-lived shop was opened in Bond Street in London by Thomas Wardle and W. S. Brough and then later through agencies. Items were sold in London at first however, there was also a shop in St. Edward Street, in Leek, next to
10088-527: Was reduced to a shell. It remained a bomb site for the remainder of the war and beyond, finally being demolished and rebuilt between 1958 and 1960. Peter Robinson partially reopened on 22 September, though the main storefront remained boarded up. The basement was converted into studios for the BBC Eastern Service. Orwell made several broadcasts here from 1941 to 1943. Selfridges was bombed again on 17 April 1941, suffering further damage, including
10192-931: Was reopened as a covered bazaar ); this prompted another bazaar (across the road at No. 150) to close, and in 1836 the Princess's Theatre opened on the site. Oxford Street changed in character from residential to retail towards the end of the 18th century. Recording an evening visit to the street in 1786, Sophie von La Roche described a multitude of shops lit by Argand lamps behind 'handsome glass windows': confectioners, fruiterers, watchmakers, silversmiths, 'spirit booths' (selling strong drink), glass shops, china shops, silk shops, lamp shops and others. There were also clothing retailers of various sorts, and furniture-makers (such as Gillow & Co. , established in 1769). Street vendors sold tourist souvenirs during this time. A plan in Tallis's London Street Views , published in
10296-682: Was representative of the Arts and Crafts movement , of which Morris was a leading figure. In 1881 the Society instigated an exhibition at the Leek Art School with the director of the South Kensington Museum presenting the prizes. The work exhibited consisted of their ecclesiastical work as well as fifteen items of secular embroidery. Morris & Company and the Royal School of Needlework also sent examples of work for
10400-539: Was sold by the Howard de Walden Estate to Land Securities for redevelopment: designed by T. P. Bennett & Partners, it would provide small units of retail accommodation either side of a central flagship department store (namely British Home Stores , until its closure in 2016). Atop the Oxford Street frontage a six-storey block was constructed to house the London College of Fashion , behind which
10504-471: Was the first department store in the UK with escalators serving every floor. It retained the D. H. Evans name until 2001, when it was rebranded as House of Fraser (the name of the parent company ). House of Fraser closed in 2022. Selfridges, Oxford Street , the second-largest department store in the UK and the flagship of the Selfridges chain, has been trading in Oxford Street since 1909. The building
10608-419: Was the home of James Brindley , the 18th century canal engineer . He built a water-powered corn mill in 1752. This watermill is now preserved as Brindley Water Mill and Museum . William Morris , founder of the Arts and Crafts movement , often visited Leek between 1875 and 1878. He studied dyeing with Thomas Wardle , owner of a dyeworks in the town, and it was Leek which provided his firm with silk. It
10712-444: Was the largest music shop in the world, at 60,000 sq ft (6,000 m ). As well as music and video retail, the premises supported live gigs in the store. Because of financial difficulties, the store closed in 2014, with all retail moving to No. 363 (which itself closed in 2020). In November 2023 the store at No. 363 was reopened, branded as 'The HMV Shop'. The 100 Club , in the basement of No. 100, has been run as
10816-630: Was through the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, which he founded in 1877, that he came into contact with Larner Sugden, the local architect. Sugden would play a part in establishing a "William Morris Labour Church" in Leek, after Morris' death in 1896. Sugden also published a series called "the Bijou of Leek Freethought Reprints". The 7th volume, published 1884, contained a lecture by Morris, entitled Art and Socialism. Dame Averil Cameron Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History in
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