Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford
A major shopping, dining and leisure centre in central Oxford, England.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Westgate Oxford is a major shopping, dining and leisure destination at the western end of Queen Street in the centre of Oxford, England. The centre takes its name from the historic West Gate of Oxford, which stood near the junction of Castle Street, Norfolk Street and Paradise Street until the mid-seventeenth century. Its location places it beside Bonn Square and close to the medieval Oxford Castle quarter, making it both a retail destination and a prominent element of Oxford's city-centre townscape. The original Westgate Shopping Centre was developed between 1970 and 1972. It was designed by Douglas Murray and constructed by Taylor Woodrow. Oxford City Council was the original owner, and the centre initially contained major retail names including Selfridges, Sainsbury's and C&A. Oxford Central Library also moved from the Town Hall into the centre; the library was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 31 October 1973. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the centre in 1976. Ownership passed to private interests during the 1980s. A refurbishment costing £3 million was completed in 1986, and an extension was proposed in 1988 by the then owners, CIN Properties and Arrowcroft, although that proposal did not proceed. The former Selfridges unit later became a branch of Lewis's, then Allders, before being occupied by Primark in 2006 after Allders closed in 2005. A much more extensive redevelopment was proposed from 2004 onward. The plans went through consultation and inquiry before planning permission was granted in November 2014. The redevelopment was undertaken by the Westgate Oxford Alliance, a joint venture between the Crown Estate and Land Securities Group. Construction began in early 2015, while the original centre closed in February 2016 for comprehensive rebuilding and expansion. The redeveloped centre reopened on 24 October 2017. It provides almost 800,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and leisure accommodation, including a new John Lewis department store, more than 100 additional shops, cafés and restaurants, a rooftop dining terrace, and a five-screen Curzon cinema. The design team included BDP, Dixon Jones, Allies and Morrison, Panter Hudspith and Howells Architects. BDP was responsible for the publicly accessible roof, which provides views toward Oxford's skyline and its famous dreaming spires. The 2017 scheme also introduced landscaped pedestrian routes, two public squares, a walkway alongside Castle Mill Stream, cycle parking, a re-routed bus lane, a taxi drop-off and pick-up area, and a two-storey basement car park reported as accommodating between 900 and 1,100 vehicles. The development also included 59 one- and two-bedroom flats. Oxford City Council described the redevelopment as a major element of city-centre regeneration and reported that it was expected to create more than 3,400 full-time-equivalent jobs. Westgate's redevelopment has also been associated with archaeological investigation and public debate. Construction of the original centre in the 1970s damaged archaeological remains, while the later project enabled Oxford Archaeology to investigate substantial remains of the medieval Greyfriars friary, founded in 1244 and dissolved in 1538. Foundations, artefacts and part of a medieval tiled floor were found; the tiled floor is displayed within the centre, while other material was temporarily exhibited at the Museum of Oxford. Local opposition focused on traffic, flooding risk and the architectural impact of the expansion, including concerns about a largely windowless wall facing Oxpens Road. The enlarged centre also prompted debate over whether buses should continue using Queen Street, although the Secretary of State for Transport declined Oxfordshire County Council's application to prohibit them.
History
Westgate Oxford originated as the Westgate Shopping Centre, a city-centre retail development built between 1970 and 1972. Designed by Douglas Murray and constructed by Taylor Woodrow, it was originally owned by Oxford City Council. Its tenant mix included Selfridges, Sainsbury's and C&A, while Oxford Central Library was relocated from the Town Hall to the centre in 1973. The library's new premises were opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 31 October 1973, and Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1976. The centre entered private ownership during the 1980s and underwent a £3 million refurbishment in 1986. An extension was proposed two years later by CIN Properties and Arrowcroft, but it was not carried forward. The former Selfridges space subsequently became a Lewis's store, then an Allders branch. Following Allders' closure in 2005, Primark occupied the unit from 2006. Plans for a substantially larger Westgate scheme first appeared in 2004. The proposal developed through several rounds of consultation and public inquiry before planning permission was granted in November 2014. The Westgate Oxford Alliance, a joint venture between the Crown Estate and Land Securities Group, became the developer. Work began in early 2015, and the original centre closed in February 2016 for demolition, reconstruction and expansion. The rebuilt centre reopened on 24 October 2017 as Westgate Oxford. The scheme created almost 800,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and leisure space. Its principal features included a new John Lewis department store, more than 100 new shops, food and beverage venues, a rooftop dining terrace, and a five-screen Curzon cinema. The architectural team comprised BDP working with Dixon Jones, Allies and Morrison, Panter Hudspith and Howells Architects. The design incorporated a publicly accessible roof with views across Oxford, as well as new squares, pedestrian routes, a landscaped Castle Mill Stream walkway, cycle facilities, transport changes, underground parking and 59 flats. The development formed part of wider regeneration efforts in Oxford city centre. Oxford City Council stated that the project would create more than 3,400 full-time-equivalent jobs. At the same time, the project attracted criticism and debate. A campaign group called Oxford Against Westgate Expansion opposed the proposed redevelopment, raising concerns about additional traffic and possible flooding associated with the underground car park. Conservationists, including the Oxford Civic Society, later criticised the scale and appearance of a largely windowless wall on Oxpens Road. Archaeology has been an important part of the site's story. Excavation for the original centre damaged medieval remains, but the 2015–2017 redevelopment enabled Oxford Archaeology to examine extensive remains of the Greyfriars friary, which existed from 1244 until the Dissolution in 1538. Investigators found stone foundations, wooden and other artefacts, and a section of medieval tiled floor. The floor is displayed at Westgate, and other discoveries were temporarily shown at the Museum of Oxford. Transport policy also became contentious when Oxfordshire County Council sought to remove buses from Queen Street because of anticipated pedestrian growth. The Secretary of State for Transport declined the request, citing inadequate supporting evidence.
- 2017
Westgate Oxford reopens
[1]The redeveloped centre opens on 24 October with expanded retail, dining, leisure and public-realm facilities.
- 2016
Original centre closes
[1]The centre closes in February for rebuilding and expansion.
- 2014
Redevelopment permission granted
[1]Planning permission is granted in November for the comprehensive Westgate redevelopment.
- 2006
Primark occupies former department-store space
[1]Primark takes over the former Selfridges, Lewis's and Allders unit.
- 2005
Allders store closes
[1]The department-store unit formerly associated with Selfridges and Lewis's becomes vacant after Allders closes.
- 1986
Major refurbishment
[1]The privately owned centre undergoes a refurbishment reported to have cost £3 million.
- 1976
Royal visit
[1]Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visit the shopping centre.
- 1973
Central library opens at the centre
[1]Oxford Central Library moves from the Town Hall to Westgate and is opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on 31 October.
- 1972
Original Westgate Shopping Centre opens
[1]The original centre is completed and opens in central Oxford after being designed by Douglas Murray and built by Taylor Woodrow.
Products and positioning
A large, centrally located mixed-use retail and leisure destination combining national retailers, department-store shopping, dining, cinema and public-realm improvements within Oxford's historic urban core.
Department store · 2017
John Lewis
The redeveloped Westgate includes a new John Lewis department store, serving as one of the centre's principal anchor tenants and providing a broad department-store offer within the expanded scheme.
Fashion and general retail · 2017
Retail shops
Westgate Oxford contains more than 100 shops in the post-2017 scheme. The centre's retail offer spans fashion, department-store merchandise, beauty and other high-street categories, although the available reference material does not provide a complete current tenant list.
Food and beverage · 2017
Dining and cafés
Restaurants and cafés form a major part of the redeveloped centre. The rooftop dining terrace adds an elevated food-and-beverage destination with views toward Oxford's skyline.
Leisure and entertainment · 2017
Curzon Cinema
The 2017 Westgate scheme introduced a five-screen Curzon cinema, extending the centre's role beyond shopping into film and leisure.
Brand decisions
2016
Close the original centre for rebuildingGeneration changeBackground
The approved scheme required comprehensive remodelling and expansion of the existing shopping centre.
Action taken
Westgate closed in February 2016 while construction of the new centre proceeded.
Aftermath
The rebuilt centre reopened on 24 October 2017 with almost 800,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and leisure space.
2014
Proceed with comprehensive Westgate redevelopmentStrategyBackground
After plans had circulated since 2004 and undergone consultation and inquiry, planning permission was granted for a major expansion and remodelling of the existing centre.
Action taken
The Westgate Oxford Alliance, a joint venture between the Crown Estate and Land Securities Group, proceeded with the redevelopment, including new retail, dining, leisure, transport and public-realm components.
Aftermath
The original centre closed in 2016 and the enlarged Westgate Oxford reopened in October 2017.
Reported redevelopment cost. £500 million (2017 redevelopment)
- Retain bus access through Queen StreetOther
Background
Oxfordshire County Council argued that higher pedestrian numbers associated with the enlarged centre would make bus use of Queen Street unsafe.
Action taken
The Secretary of State for Transport declined the council's application to ban buses from Queen Street, stating that the evidence submitted was insufficient.
Aftermath
The available reference does not document a subsequent permanent prohibition of buses on Queen Street.
Sources2 sources
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