Walk this way: Google Maps now features shortcuts through buildings

On Oxford Street? Too busy to walk around Selfridges? Fear not. Google maps now gives you handy time-saving routes that let you turn left at Christian Louboutin, right at the Lancôme counter and speed straight past nutters whose idea of a trip to a department store involves a visit to a champagne and oyster counter. Yep, Google Maps has started giving you shortcuts through shops.

Here's a handy route through Selfridges, plotting exactly which counter you need to make your turns at:

This shortcut through the British Museum even handily includes instructions such as 'Take the stairway down to -1':

 To get from the Royal College of Nursing to Bond Street station, Google thinks you should slip into John Lewis' tradesman's entrance (that's what she said, etc, etc):

Or if you can resist stopping to gawp at super-rich tourists and mawkish tributes to Diana, Google reckons that your best bet from Brompton Road to St Saviour's Court involves a trip via Harrods' 'Beauty Apothecary':

Still, to be fair to them, they do come with words of warning:  'Use caution - may involve errors or sections not suited for walking.' Whatever. Out of our way, shoppers!