This esteemed neighbourhood is centred around the remaining early-18th century terraces of Hanover Square, and is bordered on its eastern edge by Regent Street, a major West End shopping hub. What was once a busy residential area has given way to a centre of commerce and business, with only around 200 households amongst the winding Georgian streets. Many of the former residential properties have since been turned into offices or shops, meaning that the local boutiques, cafes, and bars are occupied predominantly by office workers. The numerous statues and sculptures, and the imposing St George’s church remind visitors of just how prominent this neighbourhood is, and with 2- and 3-bedroom flats going for up to £10 million, it’s not hard to imagine the affluence of those who live here permanently. The local Underground stations of Bond Street, Oxford Circus, and Piccadilly Circus mean that transport links are ideal, and that tourists can easily access the countless attractions nearby.

Hanover Square was developed in 1713 as a fashionable residential area by the 1st Earl of Scarbrough, Richard Lumley. The name derives from Lumley’s desire to emphasise his support of the ascension of George 1st to the throne in 1714, which began the Hanoverian dynasty. To its east, Regent Street was laid out in the early-19th century under the direction of John Nash, who had also designed Regent’s Park, the Regent’s Canal, and numerous terraces across the West End. Named after George, the Prince Regent (who later became George IV), the road replaced the earlier thoroughfare of Swallow Street, and reaches from Waterloo Place to Oxford Circus. The area quickly became established as London’s centre of style, but by the end of the century the changing architectural fashions called for an upgrade. The street was entirely refurbished between 1895 and 1927 in the Beaux Arts style, creating large, uniform buildings to enhance trade and produce the impressive overall effect that remains today. Every building on the street is now at least Grade II-listed.

The neighbourhood also includes Savile Row amongst its celebrated streets. The road is famed for its bespoke tailors, a trade which emerged in the area in the late- 18th century; first in nearby Cork Street, then in Savile Row. Henry Poole, who is credited as the inventor of the tuxedo, opened an entrance to his store on Savile Row in 1846. Poole & Co created tailored clothing for many royals, including Napoleon III, Tsar Alexander II, numerous kings and queens of England, and many more. Their store still remains to this day at number 15.

The area’s proximity to the retail hub of Regent Street means that it is often very crowded at all times of the day. Combined with the number of offices in the neighbourhood, this can cause great congestion at nearby stations, particularly at peak times.

As much of the area falls into the Regent Street Conservation Area there are few major developments in the planning. However, nearby Bond Street is set to become one of the stations on the new Elizabeth line, which became operational in early 2022. Opening to the public in November 2022, the station’s extension and refurbishment aim to improve accessibility and increase the capacity of one of the city’s busiest Underground stations by an additional 137,000 passengers daily, with two new ticket halls at street level, one of which will be on Hanover Square. It will likely bring even more footfall to the already bustling Regent Street.