A large food market is being planned for Oxford Street as part of the ongoing mission to stamp out American-style candy shops and "tacky" souvenir stores blighting the area.
Some 19 restaurants will set up over two floors in a new food court next to Marble Arch if the project wins planning permission next week.
The building, at 529 - 533 Oxford Street, was previously home to the flagship Evans clothing store. It is now a "London gifts" and "Prime Candy" shop.
The proliferation of garish stores all selling the same products has been seen as symbolic of the decline of the world-famous shopping district.
In the aftermath of the Covid lockdowns, and following the departure of major brands including Debenhams, House of Fraser and Topshop, more than two dozen brightly-coloured sweet and souvenir outlets lined the street.
But Westminster Council began a crackdown in 2022, seizing more than £1million in unsafe, counterfeit or illegal products from the shops and taking rogue traders to court.
Brands such as Ikea, Paris Saint-Germain F.C, Pandora and FootAsylum have since announced Oxford Street stores.
HMV made a return to the road last year and Moco Museum has been given planning permission to take over a sprawling 1920s building opposite Marble Arch for its third European gallery in a “huge vote of confidence in London and the West End”.
Medra Group, which has submitted the food court plans to Westminster Council, said the business would open from 7am to 11pm daily for takeaways and sit-in dinners.
The nearby five-star Marriott objected to the proposals, arguing that the takeaway facility "would adversely impact on the character of the area and that low level ventilation into a shared lightwell with the hotel could potentially result in nuisance from cooking odours".
But Westminster planning officers, who have recommended the project for approval, said: "All the units will use electric cooking with a recirculation system handling odours.
"Oxford Street is the UK’s premier shopping street, in which changes in the retail sector have been felt.
"Proposals should provide a more attractive shopping environment and user experience."
They also suggested a condition which would prevent the food court from operating a home delivery service.
