Marylebone High Street http://bit.ly/rkpLp is so good, when you walk down it, that you think its just happened by itself. The eclectic mix of stores is so natural,that the street is a place and somewhere you want to meander a while. Its in such marked contrast to the hostility (no I dont understand the need for 20 different shoe shops) of the typical high street (Oxford Street is just around the corner). But then people who do the right thing over a long period of time rarely make the headlines.
The Howard de Walden Estate, is the main landlord in the area, and quite uniquely (as far as I know) take a long term view on the tenant mix of the street, not because they are philantropists or do goodie types (who cares!), but because it makes good business sense, because good business is creating good place that are sustainable places because they last and have a sense they'll last, and reassure you that in you're somewhere better than the suburban retail park. This example cannot be easily followed, but it shows what can be achieved. http://www.marylebonevillage.com/en/marylebone-village/..... Adapt and prosper.
Post note: Of course like any street in London, the traffic engineers really do their best to make a mess of it.. and put up as many people cages, poles, barriers, signposts as possible...
