AN Oxford Street department store has been banned from playing Christmas carols because they create "noise pollution".

Westminster council officials have ordered Debenhams not to broadcast the festive music that traditionally accompanies its window display.

Shoppers can no longer listen to the likes of Jingle Bells or Silent Night as they look at images of snowmen and reindeer. The store offered to turn down the volume but this was rejected by the council which feared that broadcasting into the street could negatively affect trade.

The order came to light when Conservative MP Julian Lewis attacked the move in Parliament, contrasting the ban with the "unauthorised and illegal protest noise" faced by MPs and parliamentary staff from anti-war protesters such as Brian Haw.

Mr Lewis highlighted the case as part of his campaign against noise from protesters who he claims will not be prosecuted by the council.

A Debenhams spokesman confirmed the ban, adding: "All we were trying to do was bring a bit of festive cheer to Oxford Street. It was never our intention to irritate anyone. We offered to turn it down."

Daniel Astaire, Westminster's cabinet member for community protection, said: "If every business was allowed to blast its choice of music and advertising into Oxford Street a visit would become unbearable and inevitably affect trade."

Figures this week showed that shoppers are continuing to flock to the West End despite the recession and the opening of the rival Westfield mall in Shepherd's Bush.

The number of bargain hunters in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street was up 11.6 per cent on last year at weekends. Sunday was the best day with 17.4 per cent more people crowding into central London's shopping district.

In Oxford Street shopper numbers were up 20.1 per cent. Store managers said the strength of the euro and the Christmas lights had attracted more people than expected.

French, Italian and German visitors are in London in record numbers, taking advantage of the 20 per cent fall in the value of the pound against the euro.

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