Ikea Backs Traffic-Free Oxford Street to Serve New London Store

Swedish furniture maker Ikea is backing Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s contentious plan to reserve Oxford Street for pedestrians, as the retail giant opens a store in one of the UK capital’s most popular shopping districts.

“The idea of pedestrianization, that is going to help shoppers move around here,” Peter Jelkeby, chief executive officer of Ikea UK, said in an interview at the new store ahead of its opening on May 1. “You’re going to get a different pace. When a high street works well, you can slow down, you get space, you hopefully get an environment you actually want to be in — it’s safe.”