Shaftesbury Avenue is a major thoroughfare in London’s West End, running from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street. Built by the Metropolitan Board of Works between 1877 and 1886 and named after the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, it cuts through the heart of the theatre district with iconic venues such as the Lyric, Apollo and Gielgud theatres lining its route. The avenue’s mix of Victorian façades and modern storefronts make it a bustling cultural artery by day and an illuminated entertainment strip by night. Close to Piccadilly Circus and Soho, it is one of the West End’s most recognisable streets.