West Hampstead

West Hampstead is an area in north-west London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, South Hampstead to the south, Kilburn to the south-west and Cricklewood to the north-west. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End. Modern West Hampstead emerged with the arrival of the railways, and the transformation of the area from farm land to housing estates. In 1879, the Metropolitan Railway adopted the name West Hampstead for its station on West End Lane, the main road through the area. Its motivation seemed to be to avoid confusion with the main retail area in central London, which was also known as the West End.

West Hampstead's proximity to the Metropolitan line at Finchley Road and its own Jubilee line stop (West Hampstead), together with a high concentration of bars and restaurants, means that the area is a popular leisure destination for people who live in the north-western part of London. West End Lane itself is home to a number of cafes, bakeries and small shops, creating a "village" atmosphere during the day. In addition to the aforementioned London Underground links, West Hampstead is also served by West Hampstead Overground station and West Hampstead Thameslink railway station.