<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayfair</span>

Mayfair

<p><b>Mayfair</b> is an affluent area in the <a href="/en/West_End_of_London" title="West End of London" class="wl">West End of London</a> towards the eastern edge of <a href="/en/Hyde_Park,_London" title="Hyde Park, London" class="wl">Hyde Park</a>, in the <a href="/en/City_of_Westminster" title="City of Westminster" class="wl">City of Westminster</a>, between <a href="/en/Oxford_Street" title="Oxford Street" class="wl">Oxford Street</a>, <a href="/en/Regent_Street" title="Regent Street" class="wl">Regent Street</a>, <a href="/en/Piccadilly" title="Piccadilly" class="wl">Piccadilly</a> and <a href="/en/Park_Lane" title="Park Lane" class="wl">Park Lane</a>. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-ft_1-0"><a href="#cite_note-ft-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span></p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Area of central London, England</div>
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<figure class="wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg"><img loading="lazy"alt="View of The Biltmore Mayfair from Grosvenor Square" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg/300px-Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="523" data-file-height="350" data-file-type="bitmap" height="201" width="300" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg/450px-Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Grosvenor_Square_entrance.jpg 2x"></a><figcaption><a href="/en/The_Biltmore_Mayfair" title="The Biltmore Mayfair" class="mw-redirect wl">The Biltmore Mayfair</a> overlooking <a href="/en/Grosvenor_Square" title="Grosvenor Square" class="wl">Grosvenor Square</a></figcaption></figure>
<p>The area was originally part of the manor of <a href="/en/Eia" title="Eia" class="wl">Eia</a> and remained largely rural until the early 18th century. It became well known for the annual "May Fair" that took place from 1686 to 1764 in what is now <a href="/en/Shepherd_Market" title="Shepherd Market" class="wl">Shepherd Market</a>. Over the years, the fair grew increasingly downmarket and unpleasant, and it became a public nuisance. The Grosvenor family (who became <a href="/en/Duke_of_Westminster" title="Duke of Westminster" class="wl">Dukes of Westminster</a>) acquired the land through marriage and began to develop it under the direction of Thomas Barlow. The work included <a href="/en/Hanover_Square,_Westminster" title="Hanover Square, Westminster" class="wl">Hanover Square</a>, <a href="/en/Berkeley_Square" title="Berkeley Square" class="wl">Berkeley Square</a> and <a href="/en/Grosvenor_Square" title="Grosvenor Square" class="wl">Grosvenor Square</a>, which were surrounded by high-quality houses, and <a href="/en/St_George's_Hanover_Square_Church" title="St George's Hanover Square Church" class="mw-redirect wl">St George's Hanover Square Church</a>.</p>

<p>By the end of the 18th century, most of Mayfair was built on with upper-class housing; unlike some nearby areas of London, it has never lost its affluent status. The decline of the British aristocracy in the early 20th century led to the area becoming more commercial, with many houses converted into offices for corporate headquarters and various <a href="/en/Diplomatic_mission" title="Diplomatic mission" class="wl">embassies</a>. Mayfair retains a substantial quantity of high-end residential property, upmarket shops and restaurants, and luxury hotels along <a href="/en/Piccadilly" title="Piccadilly" class="wl">Piccadilly</a> and <a href="/en/Park_Lane" title="Park Lane" class="wl">Park Lane</a>. Its prestigious status has been commemorated by being the most expensive property square on the London <i><a href="/en/Monopoly_(game)" title="Monopoly (game)" class="wl">Monopoly</a></i> board.</p>



Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world. The area was originally part of the manor of Eia and remained largely rural until the early 18th century. It became well known for the annual "May Fair" that took place from 1686 to 1764 in what is now Shepherd Market. Over the years, the fair grew increasingly downmarket and unpleasant, and it became a public nuisance. The Grosvenor family acquired the land through marriage and began to develop it under the direction of Thomas Barlow. The work included Hanover Square, Berkeley Square and Grosvenor Square, which were surrounded by high-quality houses, and St George's Hanover Square Church. 