New West End Company

With the BID ballot coming up in November, it is crucial that our 5-year business plan reflects your priorities. In February, our Annual Insights Breakfast provided an invaluable platform for discussion and feedback, allowing us to hear firsthand from retailers about the challenges and opportunities they face. Alongside this, our Members Survey has given us further insight into your needs, and our team is carefully reviewing all responses to ensure your priorities are at the centre of our future strategy. 

The continued impact of the absence of tax-free shopping remains a top priority. New analysis by our in-house team – covered in The Times – revealed that this policy gap cost West End businesses £640 million in unrealised international sales in 2024. This underscores the immense potential of international tourists as key revenue drivers and reinforces our commitment to lobbying the Government to reverse this damaging decision.

We are also focused on the imminent business rates reform and the potential impact of proposed changes on the West End. According to our research - which I wrote about in The Standard - the plan to introduce a multiplier that is up to 10p higher for properties with a rateable value over £500,000 could cost businesses in our district £44.5 million a year, reflecting a nearly 20% increase in rates. This would add to the already rising store operating costs.

To better understand the immediate effects of this policy on our members, we conducted an online survey which many of you participated in. The results will be discussed with business representatives from key flagship high streets across the country through High Streets UK - the pro-growth, nationwide partnership we helped form. Our first forum will be hosted by founding member Liverpool BID Company next week, and I look forward to sharing key takeaways and potential solutions with you in due course.

Today, the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, launched a public consultation on the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for Oxford Street. This initiative aims to revitalise one of London’s most iconic destinations, supporting economic growth and enhancing the area’s appeal to visitors and businesses alike. The consultation is now open and will close on 2nd May. You can find more information and participate in the consultation by clicking here.

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the Mayor’s London Growth Plan yesterday, alongside key political figures, including MP Alex Norris, Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety, the Mayor, and the Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Howard Dawber. The Growth Plan outlines an ambitious vision for driving economic development across the capital, with the West End playing a pivotal role in realising this vision. Read the plan here.

Our Security & Operations team continues to work tirelessly to safeguard all those who visit the West End. Recently, we responded to a consultation by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) on the Police and Crime Plan for London, urging a review of the National and International Capital Cities grant and calling for updated metrics to tackle high-volume crime, including theft-from-person.

I’m pleased to report that the Metropolitan Police Service’s recent crackdown on phone theft led to 230 arrests and the recovery of over a thousand stolen devices in just one week. Here in the West End, this operation was delivered in close collaboration with the West End Town Centre Policing Team and the West End Proactive Partnership Team - key local partners of New West End Company.

On the sustainability front, we recently hosted an informative webinar to help businesses navigate the new Simpler Recycling legislation, which takes effect next month. We also proudly hosted our second annual Sustainability Showcase, attended by Cllr Ryan Jude, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture. The event spotlighted best-in-class environmental and social sustainability initiatives across our district.

Explore more of these efforts on our newly launched Community Hub.

I look forward to sharing more news in our next CEO Update in March.

INNOVATION & INSIGHTS

Latest data from our Insights team, covered by The Times, revealed that the absence of tax-free shopping cost West End retailers an estimated £640 million in tourist spend in 2024. The analysis also showed muted growth across the festive season, driven primarily by international shoppers.

While the data reaffirms the West End’s status as a world-class destination for retail, leisure and hospitality for international visitors, a lack of a robust tourism strategy continues to hold growth back and a time when domestic spend is squeezed.

New West End Company will continue to campaign, on behalf of our members, for the re-establishment of tax-free shopping as part of a comprehensive strategy to unlock the full potential of tourism. 

Since its inception over two decades ago, New West End Company’s mission has always been to create a vibrant and welcoming district. To help us achieve this, we are proud to introduce West End Community Hub – an online destination for all things West End. 

Whether a public consultation, residents event or positive news story, the hub aims to facilitate connections between community representatives and local businesses and, ultimately, celebrate what makes our district so unique.

Click here to visit the hub and stay informed about local initiatives, connect with key stakeholders and explore opportunities to make a lasting impact on our community.

Many members attended our Simpler Recycling Legislation Webinar, which took place on Tuesday 11 February. Held in partnership with Veolia – New West End Company’s waste management partner – the special webinar aimed to guide business representatives through the new recycling legislation, due to come into force on 31 March. 

Thank you to Beth Gordon, Delivery Team Leader of Simpler Recycling at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Mandy Langstaff, Senior Advisor at Environment Agency; and James Mason, Sustainability and Portfolio Manager for Westminster at Veolia, for their contributions. 

Click the image below to watch the webinar. 

SECURITY & OPERATIONS

New West End Company welcomed the measures introduced by the Crime and Policing Bill, published on 25 February. Our Chief Executive Dee Corsi spoke in support of the legislation, which included enhanced police powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and phone theft, alongside the scrapping of the policy that trivialised shoplifting of items under £200. However, these reforms must be backed by the necessary funding and resources for local policing to ensure that the public and local businesses feel safe and secure. You can read her full statement here.

On 27 February, Nathan Parsad-Wyatt, Director of Communications and Campaigns, Lucy Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer, and Lorna Keegan, Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs at New West End Company, attended a fireside chat between the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, in discussion with Chair of BusinessLDN, Sir Ken Olisa. Attendees heard on how the organisation is being reformed and ways in which businesses can engage to help tackle challenges facing the capital today.

New West End Company and our trusted security partners, FGH, were proud finalists for the ‘Outstanding Security Partnership’ award at the Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs). This recognition highlights our shared commitment to promoting the safety and security of the West End for all.

We were also pleased to share that a clampdown by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) targeting phone theft resulted in 230 arrests and more than a thousand devices seized within a week.

The need for action is clear, with 40% of phone thefts in London occurring in Westminster. Here in the West End, the operation was delivered in close collaboration with the West End Town Centre Policing Team and the West End Proactive Partnership Team – key local partners of New West End Company.

The work builds on activity already underway to tackle phone thefts and sets a new standard for how the police respond to the pressing issue facing all those who choose to work, shop or visit the West End. 

CAMPAIGNING AND ADVOCACY

In February, New West End Company’s Chief Executive Dee Corsi wrote in The Standard about the impact of the Government’s reformed business rates. As she highlighted, any increase in the multiplier will disproportionately impact flagship high streets. That’s because it fails to take into account that retailers on flagship high streets not only pay a premium on their rental, they also operate online – needing additional space for stock.

We continue to discuss joint solutions with business representatives from key flagship high streets across the country via High Streets UK. The group’s first forum, focused on business rates, will be hosted by founding member Liverpool BID Company on 5 March. Ahead of it, our Chief Executive Dee Corsi had an introductory meeting with Sophia Kewell, Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on 25 February, to discuss High Street UK’s main objectives and areas of potential collaboration with the Government. 

This month, New West End Company submitted a response to a consultation by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) on the Police and Crime Plan for London. We welcomed the Mayor’s continued focus on making London a safer city for all, and the acknowledgement, in the Draft Plan, that this ambition must be delivered through close partnership working. In our consultation, we reiterated the need for a review of the National and International Capital Cities grant, and called for fresh metrics on reducing high-volume crime, including theft-from-person. You can read our full response here.

On 24 February, New West End Company’s Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs, Lorna Keegan, attended CBI’s Business Rates working group – where professionals with expert knowledge of business rates met to discuss policy and influence decisions. The insights gathered are crucial as we look to shape our response to the Government’s Business Rates consultation. 

On 27 February, our Chief Executive Dee Corsi attended the launch event for the London Growth Plan, where she was joined by key political stakeholders including the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, and the Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Howard Dawber. New West End Company supports the Mayor’s commitment of returning London to pre-financial crisis rates of growth and will continue to work in close collaboration with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to ensure businesses in the West End are central to this ambition. 

The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has now launched a public consultation on plans to revitalise Oxford Street. Specifically, the consultation looks at the Mayor’s proposals to pedestrianise Oxford Street and create a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to move its regeneration forward. You can read more about it, including how to submit a response, in the GLA’s press release. 

EVENTS

New West End Company was delighted to welcome business members to the annual Insights Breakfast, at the Sanderson London on Thursday 6 February. Our Director of Insights and Strategy, Paddy Gamble, shared a deep dive into the West End’s festive season performance and key trends shaping 2024. He was joined by Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design, who delivered a thought-provoking keynote on the evolving retail landscape and shifting consumer behaviours.

If you're a member and want access to the full report, visit our West End Insights Portal here.

On Monday 24 February, New West End Company hosted the 2025 Sustainability Showcase – building on the success of our inaugural exhibition last year. Held at The Langham, the event provided an opportunity to showcase some of the best examples in environmental and social sustainability within our district. 

Cllr Ryan Jude, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology and Culture, spoke at the event prior to the exhibition, which included case studies from Veolia, The Langham London, Westminster City Council, Grosvenor Property UK, One Westminster, First Mile, and more.

New West End Company’s senior leadership team had the pleasure of meeting key hotel members for a strategic lunch on 13 February, kindly hosted by The Beaumont.

As a vital part of our membership, hoteliers play a crucial role in shaping the district’s success. The lunch – attended by representatives from Claridge’s, The London Marriott Grosvenor Square, Hotel Café Royal, The Beaumont, and The BoTree – was a valuable opportunity to exchange insights, share updates on street operations and consumer trends, and discuss our ongoing advocacy efforts.

Engaging with our hotel partners remains a priority as we work together to enhance the West End’s appeal for visitors and guests alike.

DESTINATION MARKETING

Love was in the air on Oxford Street this February and to support and spread the love ourselves, Oxford Street’s website went through a makeover showcasing all the special activity happening on-street – from romantic getaways to special dinners for two. Visitors to the site were welcomed by floating hearts to set the scene for a charming Valentine’s Day in the West End.

On 20 February, our Destination Marketing team, in partnership with luxury lifestyle concierge Quintessentially, hosted an exclusive shopping event. Timed to coincide with the launch of London Fashion Week AW2025, the experience welcomed 18 guests, beginning with drinks at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair. The evening continued with a private VR shopping experience at Balenciaga before concluding at Diptyque. 

IN THE DISTRICT

Mulberry brought their Somerset heart to London for an exclusive Valentine’s evening at their Regent Street flagship store on 13 February. Guests were able to enjoy a selection of Somerset’s finest seasonal produce and drinks, while discovering a curated Valentine’s Day edit of products. As a token of appreciation, Mulberry gifted attendees with an exclusive bag charm and offered personalised cookies – perfect for adding a special touch to Valentine’s gifting.

We’re delighted to welcome Abercrombie & Fitch’s new flagship store to Oxford Street, which officially opened its doors in February. Designed with a seamless omnichannel experience in mind, the space allows customers to move effortlessly between online and in-store shopping.

The store also features a private mezzanine lounge, complete with a personal fitting room and dedicated checkout area, offering an elevated shopping experience. Its arrival further cements Oxford Street’s reputation as a world-class destination for flagship retail.

Earlier this month, Victoria Beckham’s Dover Street boutique hosted an exclusive contemporary art exhibition in partnership with Sotheby’s. Personally curated by Victoria Beckham herself, the showcase featured masterpieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Joan Mitchell, and Yoshitomo Nara, displayed alongside the designer’s own creations. Running until 10 February, the exhibition offered a rare opportunity to experience these world-class artworks before they were offered across Sotheby’s Contemporary auctions in New York and London.

The British Fashion Council held a three-day pop-up store on Regent Street during London Fashion Week AW2025, in a bid to provide commercial support for the city’s emerging designers. The store was part of the City Wide Celebration programme, which aims to boost the visibility of fashion experiences across the capital’s prime shopping destinations – including Regent Street and Oxford Street. The initiative was supported by 1664 Blanc, The Crown Estate, and partners, patrons and members of the British Fashion Council.