If Monopoly was set in 2023 this is what order property spaces would be in as gentrification changes city
It's fair to say London has changed immeasurably since Monopoly was invented in 1935. Gone are the days of the West End simply being the most sought-after area as trendy hubs have popped up in all four corners of the city.
This increase in popularity has inevitably led to rapid gentrification and a house price boom. The slums of the old East End have been replaced by Shoreditch, Liverpool Street and the Docklands, as professionals have replaced its former blue-collar workforce.
While prices across the board have soared, an effective game of Monopoly has played out in Central London. Investors from across the globe have snapped up properties in prime locations just for them to sit empty - leading to the already insane prices skyrocketing further.
As a result of this, the modern day version of Monopoly would look a fair bit different from the original. With this in mind MyLondon has taken a look at average house prices across the board - from Old Kent Road to Mayfair - ranking them using Rightmove data.
The browns
Old Kent Road
Once again Old Kent Road has ranked the cheapest street in London - with current house prices at £490,035. Most properties sold along the South East London road over the past year were flats, with the average fetching £433,000.
It stretches between Elephant and Castle and Peckham, but residents recently told MyLondon the area has struggled due to a lack of rail connections to Central London and other parts of the city.
Pentonville Road
Pentonville Road is the first change on the list as it's been demoted from the light blue category. Average house prices on the Central London road connecting Kings Cross to Islington currently sit at £597,500 according to Rightmove, down from their 2018 peak of £1,107,143.
The light blues
Whitechapel Road
Whitechapel Road has been upgraded from brown to the light blue category. The street is part of London's East End, although it has experienced rapid gentrification over the past few years.
Although Rightmove doesn't have specific data for the road, the average property value in Whitechapel is £760,341. It has benefitted from fresh Elizabeth line connections, while it's also on both the Underground and Overground.
Vine Street
Vine Street has had the opposite tale of fortune as it's been relegated from orange to light blue. One of the most obscure streets on the board, it previously had one of the busiest police stations in the world.
Perhaps most famously, it was the site where the Marquess of Queensbury was charged with libel against Oscar Wilde in 1895. This public trial backfired on Wilde as he ended up being imprisoned for homosexuality the same year.
Rightmove doesn't have specific property data for Vine Street, but the average value for a property in the Piccadilly Circus area (which it sits in) is currently £1,124,833.
Bow Street
Fellow orange location Bow Street has also become a light blue stop. Properties in the the Covent Garden street currently sit at £1,184,654 on average. Previously known for its links to the police and law, the area has become popular among tourists visiting London.
The pinks
The Angel, Islington
The Angel in Islington has been promoted from a light blue to a pink street on this new look Monopoly board. With one of the only London Underground stations named after a pub, average property values in the North London area currently sit at £1,185,342.
The Angel has now sadly closed, as the building has been converted into offices, although other pubs have opened in its honour in the nearby area.
Whitehall
The home of the civil service, properties in Whitehall are now worth £1,200,000 on average. It's the first non-mover since Old Kent Road as it remains in the pink category.
From its exterior, Whitehall is known as the location of the Cenotaph and the monument to the women of WW2. In recent weeks it's been at the centre of enormous protests over the war in Gaza.
Leicester Square
Iconic West End location Leicester Square is the final pink street on the fresh Monopoly board. Sliding down from a yellow location, the average property in Leicester Square is worth slightly more than Whitehall at £1,201,333. Perhaps the problems posed by rogue pedicab riders has had an impact on property prices.
The oranges
Marlborough Street
Marlborough Street is the only orange street still in its initial place. Properties in the Soho area currently fetch £1,216,893 - although specific data was not available on Rightmove for Great Marlborough Street.
The street was named John Churchill - the 1st Duke of Marlborough and ancestor of Winston Churchill - as it became a fashionable area in the 18th and 19th centuries. This reputation has remained intact as Soho is a vibrant hotspot for bars, clubbing and restaurants.
Trafalgar Square
The site of Nelson's Column, the average property in Trafalgar Square is worth £1,247,469. We had to use data for the Charing Cross area as Trafalgar Square is not exactly residential...
Trafalgar Square has been relegated from a red street, which shows just how pricey these Monopoly board locations are about to get.
Northumberland Avenue
Northumberland Avenue has climbed from pink to orange on our new look Monopoly board. The average property on the street is now worth £1,301,000 according to Rightmove.
The reds
Coventry Street
Coventry Street is a short street in the West End connecting Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square. It's dropped from a red to a yellow street on this version of Monopoly.
The average property is worth £1,344,083, as it remains in the former section of the board known for entertainment and nightlife. It's the original location of The Flamingo Club, previously one of London's most famous jazz clubs.
Euston Road
Euston Road has made a huge surge up the board from blue to a red street. According to Rightmove, property prices on the road currently sit at £1,351,250
The Strand
The Strand is the only place to remain a red street on the board. Average property prices currently sit at £1,425,000. The road dates back to Roman Britain almost 2,000 years ago, and has since become part of the West End's theatreland.
The yellows
Regent Street
Regent Street has been relegated from a green to a yellow street on our version of Monopoly. House prices in the area currently sit at £1,608,000 on average - although we had to use data for the Oxford Circus area.
The Central London street is known for its stunning architecture, along with its flagship stores and international brands.
Fleet Street
Another big hike in property prices is on the way. In Temple (no specific data for Rightmove is available in Fleet Street), the average property fetches £2,356,667.
Fleet Street is well-known as the former centre of British newspapers, although many have now departed to Canary Wharf, London Bridge, Kensington and other parts of the city. A red street on the initial Monopoly board, it has been upgraded to a yellow.
Oxford Street
The heart of London's West End is the final yellow location on our comprehensive list. The average property in Oxford Street currently fetches £2,766,460.
It's believed to be the busiest shopping street in Europe, but visit today and you'll see that it's suffered a relative fall from grace. Tacky shopfronts, American candy stores and souvenir shops have replaced many high street giants which have up their leases on the busy street. Even Black Friday appeared to be quiet when we visited,
The greens
Pall Mall
On our present day Monopoly board Pall Mall has climbed from a pink to a green street. The Westminster street is named after a ball game played there during the 17th century, which in turn is derived from the Italian pallamaglio, literally "ball-mallet". According to Rightmove, the average property on Pall Mall fetched £4,738,586 over the past 12 months.
Piccadilly
House prices along Piccadilly, which connects Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park, have surged to an eye-watering £5,016,100. House hunters haven't been turned away by the bright neon lights and busy crowds as it's now designated a green street, up from yellow.
Mayfair
The most expensive location on the original Monopoly board, Mayfair isn't even considered a dark blue location on the new look version. But it's hardly like properties are no longer desirable in the West London area. According to Rightmove, the average place in the West End area now fetches £6,355,827.
The dark blues
Bond Street
Located near Oxford Street, Bond Street has climbed up to the prestigious dark blue category. It has one of the busiest Underground stations in London, while this has only increased further since the Elizabeth line opened last year. The average property price in Bond Street now sits at £7,588,811
Park Lane
You might notice that in recent entries property prices have climbed quite quickly - but you've seen nothing yet. Park Lane has brushed aside Mayfair to take a prime spot on the Monopoly board, as property values now sit at £12,000,000. Perhaps a victim of foreign investment, the area has some of London's most luxurious flats with a stunning view of Hyde Park.
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