If you are thinking of hitting the sales in Oxford Street this January for some much needed retail therapy, you might want to hear what visitors say first.
Shoppers have left their many, many thoughts on TripAdvisor.
You'll find Oxford Street billed as everything from a "shopping paradise" to an "introvert's hell", but the consensus seems to be that it's not the iconic shopping hub it once was.
Rosi from Seattle described the bustling area as a "human zoo" with the holiday season turning it into a "sensory system overload", while shop-goers drive and walk "like crazy".
Similarly, Louis Cecile from London expressed his disenchantment with the iconic street, saying he saw "no reason to visit anymore", and suggested better places like Coals Drop Yard and Greenwich.
His main grievances? Too many Harry Potter shops and "a theme of multiples of the same shop within a short distance of each other".
Perhaps the most colourful TripAdvisor comment came from user 'tony20121212', who said it was "chaotic, stupidly busy" adding that there were lots of "loud" and "crass" people "with no taste and too much money".
However, James H from the US presented a more balanced picture, saying it's "always worth an afternoon", and praised it as a "people watcher's paradise" with a plethora of shopping and dining options.
Some reviewers, like Tony L from Canada, reminisced about the Oxford Street of yesteryears.
He said: "Not the same Oxford Street I knew in the 70s/80s.
"The good old Oxford Street [is] gone."
Shoppers weren't shy about voicing their disappointments, criticising the infamous street for becoming an impersonation of its former self.
Most common were the comments about shops that are "overpriced" and "full of tat" - or, on the other hand, lots of "empty storefronts".
READ MORE: Oxford Street candy stores shut down in dirty money crackdown
But fear not, things are looking up; Oxford Street could see a revival soon.
Projections from real estate advisory firm Savills suggest that the number of vacant storefronts on the shopping hotspot is expected to fall by nearly a half by the third quarter of 2024.
That means more businesses might be opening up soon, potentially adding to the street's charm and diversity.
So, if you still plan to hit Oxford Street's January sales, brace yourself for a potential sensory overload.
But don't despair, keep your eyes peeled for new shops popping up in the near future.
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