Oxford Street could soon look less like a row of garish American Candy stores and more eclectic, with a scheme to offer free shops to small and independent businesses.

The campaign is aimed at businesses looking to launch their first store or physical space, and the chosen firms will be given a prime store location for an initial six-month period. These opportunities will be 100% rent-free for brands, with a minimum reduction of business rates of 70%. Stores will either be available for single occupancy or as a themed concept store shared between multiple brands.