If you've even seen one of those tv shows like Ibiza uncovered or Faliraki uncovered then that is pretty much what the West End is like. Although I think it has toned down over the years personally and a lot tamer now.
Its bascially street upon on street of very cheap bars with annoyingly persistant touts offering mad deals on usually ****ty or watered down drinks. This seems to appeal greatly to the younger holiday maker, usually large groups of boys from Britain wearing football shirts and chanting 'get ur tits oot for teh lads' or girls wearing belt sized skirts, bleached hair and clearly giving it up to the first lad who buys said cheap drink for them...
Ok, maybe Im being just a little stereotypical

but it is more or less like I described.
I actually quite like going to the West End before moving onto sunset strip or a big club. Its a cheap way to get some alcohol before moving on somewhere else. A lot of the bars are quite basic but have some fun older music playing in them and really great people working there, i always have good time
tom