This affluent commercial and residential neighbourhood occupies the southern end of the busy Marylebone Road, and sits between Regent’s Park and Edgware Road. The majority of the properties are fine Victorian terraces with boutiques and cafes on the ground floors, and there are also a number of Edwardian mansion blocks tucked away in the side streets. Marylebone Road itself is packed with traffic at all times of the day, but the quaint side streets can offer some much-needed solace for those who work in the area. Marylebone, Baker Street, and Regent’s Park stations provide convenient transport hubs for local residents and visitors, and the vast Regent’s Park to the north adds to the area’s desirability. Nearby institutions such as Madame Tussauds and the Sherlock Holmes Museum guarantee footfall to the numerous local businesses that ensure the neighbourhood maintains its unique character.

Marylebone Road was London’s first bypass. Its construction began in 1756 along the northern edge of the built-up area of Marylebone. It was called New Road up until 1857. The name derives from a local 13th-century church named St Mary’s, which was built on the banks of a small stream, known as a ‘bourne’, which was demolished in 1400. A new church was erected further north and was completely rebuilt in 1742. Marylebone Parish Church was built on the site of this previous church between 1813-17. Charles Dickens’ son was baptised in the church, and the playwright and poet, Robert Browning married fellow poet, Elizabeth Barrett, there in 1846. The church was damaged during the Blitz when a bomb fell close by, blowing out all the windows necessitating the church’s closure for repairs until 1949.

The esteemed neighbourhood has been popular with wealthy celebrities since it was developed in the 18th century. More contemporary faces include John Lennon (1940-1980), who lived at 94 Baker Street, and Marc Bolan (1947-1977), who resided at 22 Manchester Street.

The thoroughfare of Marylebone Road not only brings commerce to the area, but also contributes greatly to local noise and air pollution. The road is also very congested, making bus and car travel through the locale rather difficult.

The Elizabeth line, which finally became operational in 2022, intends to pass through nearby Bond Street station, which will open its Elizabeth line exptension to the public in November 2022. The improvement works that accompanied the new line aim to enhance the station’s accessibility and reduce congestion both on trains and on the platform, which is especially impressive considering that the station was also designed to accommodate 137,000 Elizabeth line passengers daily. It is also expected to encourage more visitors to this already popular tourism and retail area.