For years, the John Lewis Christmas advert has signaled the unofficial start of the UK festive season.
But anyone stepping into the chain’s famous Oxford Street flagship this winter might feel the holiday spirit drain a little.
Instead of the usual whirl of shoppers and fairy lights, the area around the store has turned into one of central London’s newest homeless encampments.
And it’s not the only one. Another cluster of tents has appeared just steps from the offices of London Mayor Sadiq Khan—who, during his 2024 campaign, vowed to end homelessness in the capital.
A third settlement sits under a flyover on Edgware Road, land owned by Transport for London, which ultimately reports to the same mayor.
All three sites paint a sobering picture: despite repeated promises to tackle rough sleeping, the problem has only grown, with charities warning that numbers are now “extremely high by historic standards.”
Camps on Streets Once Considered Untouchable
Encampments are no longer rare sights in corners of the capital that once symbolized wealth or prestige.
Tents have recently been seen on Tottenham Court Road, behind the Savoy Hotel, outside Apsley House by Hyde Park, and even near Westminster Cathedral.
Workers, tourists, and locals pass by these makeshift communities daily, a reflection of a homelessness crisis that seems to widen month after month.
Job Losses, Vanishing Savings, and How Fast Life Can Unravel
The reasons people end up on the streets are complicated, but one factor comes up repeatedly: sudden job loss.
With relatively little money saved—often no more than a month’s pay—many Britons are always one unexpected setback away from sleeping rough.
For migrants, the risk is even higher because they typically lack family networks or financial backup in the UK.
That’s exactly how it happened for John Ionut, a 37-year-old from Romania who now sleeps beneath the bright store windows of John Lewis.
After moving to the UK under pre-Brexit free movement rules, he found a steady role in Wolverhampton washing dishes—a job he held for years.
But when hospitality businesses were hit by tax changes and rising costs, his position vanished.
No savings. No home. No work. Within weeks, he drifted to London, where rough sleepers often group together in areas that feel safer than the suburbs.
Life Beneath the Glow of John Lewis
Beneath rows of expensive audio equipment and a glittering festive window display, Mr. Ionut and others have lined up makeshift beds under the store’s canopy.
“I’ve been out here for a year now,” he says.
“It’s not good, but at least the cover keeps the weather off. And people round here look out for each other.”
The irony isn’t lost on him: he sleeps only feet from mannequins wrapped in faux-fur coats and chic winter outfits.
As temperatures drop, he relies on blankets and the kindness of strangers.
What he wants most is work—but without a fixed address, he keeps hitting dead ends with employers.
His goal is simple: to find a job and reconnect with his daughters.
The longer he remains on the streets, though, the harder that dream becomes.
Behind the Theatres and Luxury Hotels, Another Hidden Settlement
A short walk away, near the Adelphi on the Strand and behind the glowing facades of West End theatres, sits another tent village—around 30 people from a mix of countries and cities.
Here, Tracy Wood, 42, originally from Middlesbrough, has slept for six years.
A former graphic designer, she once created greeting cards for a living.
But after losing her job and falling behind on rent, she ended up here.
“It’s far from ideal,” she says, “but the support’s good. That’s why I’ve stayed.”
A government report last year estimated that nearly two-thirds of rough sleepers in central London are from outside the UK, mirroring what’s seen at these sites.
Westminster’s Surging Homeless Population
Westminster, home to the famous John Lewis store, has become one of the boroughs with the highest concentration of rough sleepers.
In just one year, the number climbed to 355—up 25 percent from the previous year and double 2021’s figure.
This is despite the wide network of day centres, night shelters, and outreach groups operating daily across the area.
Some facilities have even faced backlash from local residents, who complain about violent incidents, drug use, and antisocial behaviour.
Mounting Frustration Over City Hall’s Efforts
Local officials aren’t shy about expressing concern.
Some say Mayor Khan hasn’t delivered on his pledge to make meaningful progress.
Others argue that large hostels are failing to help people turn their lives around, and that smaller, more tailored housing options are needed.
Critics also point to the recurring encampments on TfL-owned land.
They claim the agency is reluctant to take tough action to remove tents, while TfL counters that it has already spent tens of thousands of pounds on enforcement—though legally, the responsibility lies with local councils.
The Vagrancy Act and What Comes Next
The Labour government plans to scrap the 1824 Vagrancy Act next year, replacing it with modern legislation.
But some Westminster councillors fear that unless new laws are put in place to handle the rise of tent encampments, conditions on the streets could worsen.
They argue that many of these sites have become hubs for drug use, trafficking, and exploitation, leaving both residents and vulnerable rough sleepers exposed to significant risks.
Just Minutes from City Hall: Yet Another Cluster of Tents
In East London’s Royal Docks, right by the Mayor’s City Hall offices and luxury apartments costing upwards of £600,000, another line of tents has sprung up.
When visited this week, rats were rummaging through piles of discarded belongings.
One British man living there says he ended up on the streets due to illness and feels overlooked by the system: “Migrants get hotel rooms. I’ve got nothing but this.”
But many migrants, too, ultimately wind up sleeping rough—contrary to common assumptions.
Under the Flyover: Life on Edgware Road
Further west, under the Westway flyover, more than 10 tents are packed together—an improvised community made up mostly of Romani migrants, along with a handful of British citizens.
Among them is Wayne Williams, 64, originally from Grenada.
“I came here to see family,” he says. “Then everything fell apart.”
He’s lived in a tent for three years, begging to survive and doing his best to endure the cold.
“I’m stuck in the loop,” he says quietly.
Homeless charity Crisis warns that people who sleep rough are 17 times more likely to be victims of violence, and over nine times more likely to die by suicide.
Life expectancy for homeless men is just 45—43 for women.
Camps Spreading Far Beyond the City Centre
The Mail also found tents in Finsbury Park, Tottenham, and Edmonton—some newly formed, others reappearing shortly after being moved by local authorities.
One encampment in Edmonton even sits on a traffic island.
Homeless Link says the entire system needs both urgent intervention and long-term structural change.
The emphasis, they say, must be on preventing homelessness before it starts.
Councils, TfL, and City Hall Respond
Officials from Westminster, TfL, Haringey, and other authorities say they are working daily to address the crisis:
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Westminster Council says new people arrive every day and that the Oxford Street camp is unsafe and disruptive.
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TfL notes it has obtained a court possession order to address encampments like the one at Marylebone Flyover.
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John Lewis says it is cooperating with authorities to find the “best outcome.”
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City Hall says the Mayor has helped more than 18,000 people off the streets and recently invested £10 million in homelessness initiatives.
A Crisis That Keeps Growing
Despite these efforts, London remains overwhelmed.
Between July and September alone, more than 4,700 people were recorded sleeping rough across the city.
The contrast is stark: glittering department stores and five-star hotels glowing with Christmas displays on one side; rows of tents and freezing sleepers only metres away on the other.
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