The West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, businesses, headquarters and the commercial West End theatres. Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross. Mills, A., Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names, (2001) For strategic planning the area is identified as one of two international centres in the London Plan. Greater London Authority, The London Plan: The Sub Regions