Like the East End, the West End has a strong and memorable identity. There are few more visited areas in Britain. It is a vigorous place, laden with wealth, excitement and prestige. Its history, which West End Chronicles will detail, is captivating and eternally fascinating. Its story begins in the early years after the Fire of London when the rich and powerful looked west to the fields that covered what are now Soho, Mayfair, Larylebone and Fitzrovia to extend the capital. While Mayfair and Marylebone remained mostly exclusive, Soho and Fitzroiva acquired a range of characteristics typical of the capital, with slums and crime alongside comfort zones.