West End property – where and what to buy or rent in Central London

The West End of London is the main commercial and entertainment region of the capital. It’s what most people think of as Central London.

There are various definitions of where the West End begins and ends, but in its broadest sense it includes Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, Soho and Fitzrovia, as well as Marylebone, Westminster, St James’s and Holborn.

Districts further west are also part of the West End, and the focus here is more residential. These areas include Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Chelsea, Pimlico, Notting Hill and Paddington.

Outlet covers all of these locations, and you can read more about each of them in our Central London property guides.

Transport links are first class, and with the new Crossrail project including new stations at Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, the area will become more desirable than ever.

West End Residential Property

Originally, the West End was a series of palaces and town houses, as well as shops, theatres and other entertainment areas. Many of the grander houses still exist, while others have been converted into flats. In Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia especially, some of the big Georgian houses are now offices. There are also many purpose-built apartment blocks throughout the West End, but particularly just outside the centre and west of Hyde Park.

Historically, areas nearer the City of London (the main financial district to the East) were a little more affordable, while those more to the west were, and remain, some of the most desirable and expensive of all. The two most exclusive districts are generally perceived to be Belgravia and Mayfair.

A survey in October 2015 found that, surprisingly, London is not the UK’s most expensive city; that honour now belongs to Oxford, where property prices are a whopping 16 times the average earnings of its inhabitants.

The right property for your needs

Even in very central areas such as Covent Garden and Soho, where our main office is, there are numerous apartments to be had, as well as some very desirable penthouses.

Throughout the West End, there are also many serviced apartments; be sure to view our dedicated West End serviced apartments page, which also links through to more detailed looks at these properties in specific areas.

One big advantage of the preponderance of colleges, businesses and theatres in the area is that there a lot of professional people who need to stay here for medium length periods, from a week or two to several months. So there are innumerable short lets to be had in the West End. (You can also look specifically for short lets using our search facility in the left hand column.)

Finally, of course, there are many excellent investment properties to be had in Central London. If this is your aim, please see our property investment section.

Commercial and office space in the West End

The West End is also the largest central business district anywhere in the UK, comparable to mid-town Manhattan or the 8th arrondissement in Paris. It’s one of the most expensive districts in the world in which to rent office space as well, but as with residential property in the West End, you need to know where to look, as there are comparatively affordable pockets.

Outlet is located in Soho, and we know the local commercial market very well. We have also helped several overseas to acquire West End premises, and to expand in the area. For details, please see our commercial section, and in particular our West End commercial property page

Find out more

Whether you are looking to rent, buy a home or invest in West End property, we can help. For details, please call us on (+44) (0) 20 7287 4244, or email us.