Last Updated on 20 April, 2023
No shopping in Chelsea or London as a whole is complete without the inclusion of Brompton Road. Brompton Road began as a pathway before undergoing several developments that gave it the shape we see today.
Not too far are streets steeped in history some of which ere used solely by royalty. One being Kings Road and the other Sloane Street, both of which are just a short walk away.
Its history dates back to the 18th century. Even as far back as 1763 there was no major road was constructed in the area. Development of the road started once interests in the land around Knightsbridge started to rise.
It was at this time that business in the area was also on the increase that decent roads were needed to aid the transportation of goods moving in and out of the area.
A Little History of Brompton Road
In late 1769, the building of Brompton Road started. In the early 1770s, modest infilling of the road began. This encouraged building a handful of houses where the road had been completed, especially in the north. The southern part of the road was completed at the end of the eighteenth century.
Early in the 19th century, drainage started becoming a problem because of the people who had settled there. In 1811, a survey was conducted, and it showed that reconstruction of the road was necessary to work on the drainage systems. By the 1840s, when reconstruction had been completed, the road became residentially desirable.
There were other major reconstructions of the southern part of the road between 1893 and 1908. During this time, technology started gaining momentum, and road designers wanted the road to comply and have modern structures. Around 1918, people began erecting big blocks of flats. Many of which today fetch 10s of millions of pounds today.
Since 1945, the road has undergone multiple rebuilding processes. Office blocks started predominating over flats. Construction of Departmental stores has also begun in the area. This is where you can now find Harrods and Harvey Nichols, among famous department stores in London and around the globe.
The number of investments in the area, as well as the number of affluent families moving into, living, and doing business in the area, has kept the area wealthy which means this is now one of London’s most expensive areas if not the whole of the UK.
Things to Do in Brompton Road
Brompton Road is surrounded by luxury shops, boutiques, restaurants and even more luxurious hotels. Another one of London’s amazing streets that are worth adding to your itinerary, if only for Harrods alone.
Explore the cafes and restaurants in between shopping
Right on Brompton Road is where you will find EN&L cafe, famous for its floral displays but you will also find many cool cafes and coffee shops in Knightsbridge. There are also plenty of amazing restaurants, from Arabic, and Asian to Italian restaurants and in between.
Shopping at Harrods
Harrods is a leading luxury department store with over 5000 brands housed in one store. It is not possible that you can miss what you are looking for in this store. There are plenty of things to do in Harrods and near Harrods to fill your days.
Be it food, luxury watches, furniture, beauty products, fine jewelry, and general accessories. When shopping in Knightsbridge, or out on Brompton road and a visit to Harrods is a must. Dior and Jimmy Choo have both had popup cafes in addition to Tiffany’s cafe which does delicious afternoon teas.
Check out Sloane Street Designer Boutiques
Sloane Street designer boutiques are challenging to ignore, with many beautiful clothes and products arranged seductively. Any kind of clothes or fabric that you have been dreaming of in fluttering designers can be found in one of these boutiques.
Visit Hyde Park
Among London’s most amazing green spaces. This is one of the eight Royal parks in London, with large gardens, historical treasures, sports facilities, a wetland area, and children’s playgrounds. We have listed all the cool things to do in Hyde Park here.
National History Museum
The National History Museum is the best place for history lovers. The museum exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in Kensington, the others being the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington is among UK’s most treasured and distinctive buildings. You can attend concerts and shows there.
This is also where the majority of the BBC proms are held. The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall. You can see the list of events here.
Victoria And Albert Museum
V&A Museum is a world of creativity where you will see excellent exhibitions. It is the world’s largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Well worth a visit and among fun things to do in Kensington.
Notable Shops On Brompton Road
- Harrods Department Store – 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL
- Furla – 71-73 Brompton Rd, LND SW3 1DB
- Guess Accessories – 60 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1BW
- Lulu Lemon – 85 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1JJ
- Reiss – 1, 163 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1PY
- Tommy Hillfiger – 63-65 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DB
- Grand Seiko Boutique – 57 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DP
- Watches of Switzerland – 47-51 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DE
- Ted Baker – 75 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DB
- AllSaints – 61 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DP
- Diesel Store – 73 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DB
- Russell & Bromley – 77 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DB
- The Cashmere Shop – 43 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1DE
- Lacoste – 44 Brompton Rd, London SW3 1BW
How To Get To Brompton Road
Getting to Brompton Road is fairly easy as right around the corner of Brompton Road you have Knightsbridge underground station. Within a short walk, you also have access to Sloane Square Station as Hyde Park Corner Station.
If you are driving and need parking, there is a car park in Harrods as well as Just Park and ParkBee behind Knightsbridge Station.
