Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose has called upon Oxford Street to raise its game at the opening of Westfield London this morning.

Rose said he hoped that competition from Westfield would accelerate the move to pedestrianise Oxford Street.

“Oxford Street needs to be regenerated,” he said. “If you ask the man in the street what he wants, he would say he doesn’t want to be run over.”

M&S opened a 105,000 sq ft store at the 1.5 million sq ft centre in west London.

Speaking to Retail Week at the opening, Sir Philip Green said the centre “looks very good. Everyone is putting their best foot forward”. He added that trading was good this week, helped by half term and the cold weather.

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