OPERATIONS

Retail crime roundtable with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip MP

On 4 June, Jamie Conroy, Acting Director of Security and Operations, participated in a retail crime roundtable hosted by Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP. Bringing together major retailers, industry bodies, and policymakers, the discussion focused on the operational realities of shoplifting and organised retail crime, emerging trends, and practical policy solutions. The Shadow Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire, Matt Vickers, was also in attendance.

West End BIDs joint working group on crime and safety

Collaboration remained a key focus the following week, as Jamie and Michael Wright, Security Manager, met with representatives from the Metropolitan Police and neighbouring BIDs through a joint working group on 9 June. Discussions centred on crime, safety, and partnership working across Westminster, with the key aim being to ensure offenders operating beyond the district’s boundaries are identified and tackled more effectively.

Partnership working with the Met Police continues to deliver results

Our ongoing work with the Fusion Cell to identify prolific offenders operating in the district and obtain intelligence that supports enforcement continues to deliver. As part of Operation Ashburton, our intelligence contributed to the identification of six outstanding offenders on the police systems, with further joint operations already planned for July.

Nadia Pecco, a member of the prolific offending group commonly known as the “Spice Girls”, received an 18-month community order, a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) lasting until April 2029. The CBO prohibits her from entering Oxford Street and the City of Westminster.

We also teamed up with the police and leading retail organisations in calling for criminal justice reforms to tackle prolific and organised offending. The call followed new data revealing that a small number of repeat offenders are responsible for a disproportionate share of shoplifting offences across London. We remain committed to playing our part, investing £23 million in security operations and strengthening our capabilities to target the prolific offenders and organised criminal groups affecting our district.

Furthermore, we are exploring options with the Met Police for the expanded use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology into the West End. Read about it in The Times.

ADVOCACY

Political engagements at national and local levels

June saw Sir Keir Starmer step down as Prime Minister and resign as Leader of the Labour Party. As widely reported, current expectations are that Andy Burnham will stand unopposed to succeed Sir Keir, in which case a formal confirmation could take place as early as mid-July. During this period of transition, we will continue to monitor developments closely and assess the implications for our key priorities as the political landscape takes shape.

Making the case for London’s economic contribution to the nation has therefore never been more important. BusinessLDN’s CEO Breakfast on 16 June provided a timely opportunity to discuss the capital’s competitive strengths and the policy interventions needed to unlock long-term growth. Our Chief Executive, Dee Corsi, joined more than 20 of London’s most senior business leaders for the discussion, which was Chaired by BusinessLDN Chief Executive John Dickie.

At a local level, our engagement with Westminster City Council’s new administration continues to gather momentum. Dee met with Cllr Paul Swaddle, Leader of the Council, a number of times this month, including at West End Live – celebrating the district’s rich culture. She also had an introductory meeting with Cllr Caroline Sargent, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Enforcement, whose portfolio includes safer streets, action on phone theft hotspots and tackling antisocial behaviour. Discussions revolved around shared priorities for improving safety and security across the West End, and opportunities to strengthen partnership working between businesses and the Council.

Transformation of Oxford Street gathers momentum

Oxford Street’s future was firmly in focus on 2 June, as New West End Company partnered with the Westminster Property Association to deliver a breakfast session titled  ‘Oxford Street: from Vision to Reality’. The session featured updates on the Oxford Street Development Corporation’s (OSDC) plans from the organisation’s Chair, Scott Parsons, and Matthew Blades of the Built Environment. A subsequent discussion, led by New West End Company’s Chair, Paul Williams, focused on investor and occupier confidence in the street.

Later in the day, Dee Corsi appeared before the London Assembly’s Economy, Culture and Skills Committee alongside UKHospitality and Future Places Studio, to discuss the economic value of Oxford Street and the opportunities presented by its revitalisation. With more than two decades representing the street’s businesses, our operational expertise and on-the-ground insight will be instrumental in shaping a successful transformation.

The following week, on 8 June, we hosted the Oxford Street Advisory Group at GPE’s offices, providing members with a direct update from the OSDC on the next phase of the programme, including design proposals and delivery timeline – ensuring businesses remain informed and engaged as plans continue to progress.

The OSDC Board meeting on 18 June was an opportunity for Dee, in her capacity as a Board Member, to contribute to key governance decisions. These included the appointment of new Board members, among them Leader of Camden Council, Cllr Sagal Abdi-Wali, and the approval of the structure and terms of reference for a new Planning Committee.

INNOVATION

London named most consistently competitive global city 

This month, we were pleased to launch ‘Unlocking the London Advantage’, a new global competitiveness index which identifies where London leads, and where it is losing ground compared to cities like New York, Paris and Tokyo – as reported first in The Times.

Underpinned by data from Colliers, the research names London as the most consistently competitive city overall, placing it in the top five for culture, tourism, innovation and investment appeal. However, the capital ranks last among thirteen peer cities for policy competitiveness, highlighting the growing risk that policy inertia could undermine its global position. The report offers practical, evidence-led recommendations that could unlock transformative growth, and identifies the West End as the clearest opportunity to demonstrate how targeted policy can help secure London’s place among the world’s leading tourism destinations. You can find the full report here, or read about it in Dee Corsi’s op-ed for LBC.

New Visitor Intelligence page on the Insights Portal

This month we launched a new Visitor Intelligence page within our monthly dashboards. Drawing on data from our ongoing on-street survey programme, the platform provides timely, street-level analysis of visitor trends based on survey responses, including spending behaviour, visit purpose and sentiment across areas such as satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy – both for individual streets and the West End as a whole.

Survey data is collected monthly through a sample of 100 respondents, with findings supplemented twice a year by larger-scale surveys of approximately 1,000 visitors conducted during the summer and winter periods.

If you’re a member, click here to log in to our Insights Portal and explore the dashboard in full.

If you have any questions about the data or insights available, please contact our Insights Analyst, Fergus Connor, at [email protected].

EXPERIENCE

It’s the Summer of sports in the West End 

For the first time, we will screen the entire Wimbledon Championships in the heart of Mayfair. ‘W1mbledon in Hanover Square’ runs from 29 June to 12 July, transforming Hanover Square into a vibrant outdoor viewing destination. Settle into a deck chair, sip on summer time tipples from the Market Halls bar and tuck into soft serve ice cream, or the Wimbledon classic of strawberries and cream, at the Mandarin Oriental cart, as all the drama from the Championships unfolds on the big screen. The bar is open on weekdays from 4pm til close, and 12pm til close on weekends Find out more about it.

To mark the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, our Destination Marketing team have curated a guide to the best places across the district to catch every pass, goal and save: from Market Halls and Swingers to Boom Battle Bar and the Cinema at Selfridges.

Art in Mayfair returns to the district for its ninth year

We are delighted to be partnering with the Royal Academy of Arts for the ninth year for Art in Mayfair. Art in Mayfair has become a highlight of the district’s cultural calendar, bringing together internationally renowned artists, sculptors and leading fashion and jewellery houses to transform Mayfair into a living, open-air gallery alongside the Royal Academy’s beloved Summer Exhibition.

This year’s programme features internationally acclaimed artist Ugo Rondinone, who has created a striking series of flags flying above Bond Street from 8 June through to mid-August. As part of the celebrations, New West End Company members were also invited to an exclusive breakfast preview of the Summer Exhibition 2026 on 23 June.

Celebrating Pride Month in the West End

June also saw businesses across the district embrace Pride Month with creativity and colour. From celebratory cocktails at Swingers West End to curated art installations at Outernet, the West End came alive with special activities. To help visitors make the most of the celebrations, our Destination Marketing team also rounded up the best Pride-inspired shopping across Oxford Street, featuring fashion favourites, parade essentials and beauty must-haves.

Don’t miss our new offers on West End Club

New additions to West End Club, our loyalty programme, include exclusive fitness classes at Barry’s Soho, Aperitivo Hour at Heddon Street Kitchen and 10% off at Pandora. If you are a member and would like to feature an offer on West End Club, please contact our Business Engagement Manager, Vanessa McAuliffe, at [email protected]. The app can also be downloaded here.

DISTRICT NEWS

Hermès opens doors to new London Maison on Bond Street

This month, Hermès opened the doors to its new London Maison at 166 New Bond Street, one of the largest stores in its global network and a powerful endorsement of Bond Street’s strategic importance. Spanning six interconnected buildings, 55 rooms and five floors, Hermès Maison Bond Street is an impressive celebration of craftsmanship, design and architectural excellence.

RH London debuts in the West End

Following much anticipation, RH London officially opened the doors to its new Gallery in Mayfair on 27 June. Spanning five floors and more than 5,000 sq m, it brings together a restored Palladian mansion and three adjoining buildings at the southern end of Savile Row. Positioned between the luxury boutiques of Bond Street, world-renowned galleries and the vibrant energy of the West End, the opening further reinforces the district’s position as a global destination for exceptional retail and design.

Zara reopens West End flagship

Established retailers, in turn, are investing in innovation and sustainability to enhance the customer experience. The newly refurbished Zara at the junction of Bond Street and Oxford Street is a prime example. Customers can benefit from real-time access to in-store inventory, assisted checkout areas and automated collection and returns points. On the sustainability front, the store offers dedicated cardboard collection points and garment repair services.