'There's so much diversity on this road alone'

Think of Oxford and you might picture the dreaming spires, the university's colleges, or punting on the Thames.

But just outside the historic centre there is a bustling, multi-cultural street that some consider to be "the real Oxford".

Cowley Road is only about a 10 minute walk from tourist attractions like the Radcliffe Camera, but it represents a completely different side of the city.

And with a huge array of countries and cultures represented within the space of a few hundred metres, it is an area that would be unrecognisable without immigration.

As part of the BBC's Immigration Week, we spoke to some of Cowley Road's business owners about its diverse character.

Some say the "real" Oxford can be found outside its historic centre

Cowley Road once formed the main route to London from Oxford - and in the mid-19th Century began to be the hub for an expanding suburb.

Historian Annie Skinner suggests, according to the 1951 census, it was predominantly inhabited by white working class families, before a wave of immigration over the next few decades transformed the area.

Now every shop and restaurant has a story to tell, often of moving far from home in sometimes difficult circumstances.

Masood Khamloo, owner of the Shiraz restaurant, says he wants to show customers his Iranian culture

Masood Khamloo came to the UK as a refugee from Iran and now owns the restaurant Shiraz - he wants to use it as a place to show people Iranian culture.

"As you know - there is lots going on in Iran," he said.

"Our culture is not that of our government presently.

"We have a very rich culture and to be honest we try... to show our customers and other nationalities - that we are not thinking how they do.

"We are not that kind of people."

Mother and daughter team Denise Mosciatti and Rosa Vitagliano run La Smorfia on the Cowley Road

At a time when the subject of immigration is divisive, there is a sense on Cowley Road that the area owes its vibrant identity to its diversity.

That is something that Denise Mosciatti, who runs Italian restaurant La Smorfia feels.

She said: "There's so much that one can learn from another culture; confronting themselves with other people, getting comfortable with other people's customs as well because they make you think, make you open your eyes and widen your horizons as well.

"This is something that's enriching, it's not scary.

"I feel like... especially in this area, people are very open and this is beautiful."

Afghan Cuisine is one of Cowley Road's newest restaurants

One of the road's most recent arrivals is the restaurant Afghan Cuisine, which was set up by business partners Hijarat Meshwanai and Abdullah Sarkani.

Mr Sarkani said their food is appealing to a wide range of people, but they are getting increasing interest from English customers.

He said: "You're coming from a small village, move to this country and then... serving the food and the people like and love your food.

"That's a very big thing."

Oxford resident and antiracism campaigner Shaista Aziz says the Cowley Road is the "beating heart" of the city

Shaista Aziz is a long-term East Oxford resident and an antiracism campaigner - she says the road is "very special".

"We're very lucky for a city of this size to have so much diversity on this road alone - and it does draw lots of people in," she said.

"And it also shows how people have been living together for decades and decades and where there are challenges people work through those challenges.

"That's what you do when you're in a community.

"Cowley Road for me is the heart of East Oxford - and East Oxford is where the real Oxford is."