Oxford Street sweeter – with fewer shops empty or selling candy

Openings in past year include HMV, Under Armour and Rituals, with Ikea poised to join them in the autumn

Oxford Street has begun to bounce back, with the proportion of vacant shops down by 40% and almost a fifth of its troublesome candy and souvenir shops now closed.

The revival of the central London shopping street has been spurred by a mix of factors, including the full reopening of Tottenham Court Road station at its eastern end and last May's official launch of the Elizabeth line, which stops there, a bounce back in tourist visitors, from the UK and elsewhere, and a concerted effort by Westminster council to take action against American candy stores.