Oxford Street food market given green light in war on American candy stores [Video]

Nearly 20 restaurants will set up in the site next to Marble Arch after Westminster council granted planning permission this week.

The building was previously Evans’ flagship London store. But when the plus-size clothing brand went online-only at the end of 2020 it became a “London gifts” and “Prime Candy” shop.

The sharp rise of garish stores all selling similar products has been seen as symbolic of the decline of the world-famous shopping road.

Westminster council began a crackdown on the vendors in 2022. Since then the town hall has seized more than £1million in unsafe, counterfeit or illegal products.

Town planners said if the food court application had been submitted “many years ago” they would not have recommended its approval.

However, 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 …