OPERATIONS
September saw strong results for our security team – here’s the highlights:
- We helped identify 19 wanted offenders with the police as part of Operation Ashburton.
- Within two hours of receiving intelligence from the Met, our team successfully located and detained an offender subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order).
- Within 30 minutes of an alert from a business member, we had located and detained two individuals believed to be part of an organised crime group.
- We successfully identified and detained a suspected phone thief during a product launch event, who was subsequently arrested by police.
- We supported with the SKIMS store opening, Mount Street Garden Party and an event with Grosvenor to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
- We spent the day at 18 Hanover Square sharing crime prevention advice with office workers and other visitors. If you would like to host a similar event with us, get in touch with our Acting Director of Security & Operations, Jamie Conroy, at [email protected].
New West End Company’s Security Stall at 18 Hanover Square
ADVOCACY
September is always a key moment in the political calendar, with Parliament returning from summer recess and party conference season bringing policy and political priorities into sharper focus. This year was particularly significant given the change of Prime Minister in July, with Andy Burnham placed under proper scrutiny in the Commons for the very first time since his appointment.
Recognising the need to speak with a united voice, we launched Open for Growth: Powering the West End for the Nation – our policy asks to unlock the West End’s growth potential and the wider economic benefits this would deliver across the country.
The plan sets out what effective partnership between business and Government could look like across three chapters: Open and Safe, Open for Business and Open to the World. Our key recommendations include:
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- Business rates reform
- A national, multi-agency taskforce on organised crime
- A visitor economy spending incentive
- A commitment that any overnight visitor levy is proportionate and reinvested in the areas where it is generated
Read out plan.
We took this to policymakers with a launch reception at Labour Party Conference on Sunday 27 September. Our Chief Executive, Dee Corsi, was joined by Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Howard Dawber OBE, discussing the opportunities the West End presents, particularly in driving inclusive growth across the capital.
New West End Company’s Reception at Labour Party Conference
Our policy asks were also amplified by High Streets UK, the pro-growth partnership of business representatives from across the country, co-founded by New West End Company. While our recommendations are rooted in the West End, many of the challenges and opportunities they address are shared by flagship destinations nationwide. High Streets UK has set out its own four-point plan for creating the conditions for growth at Labour Party Conference.
Representatives from High Streets UK at Labour Party Conference
Tax-free shopping has returned to the political agenda, with the Conservatives pledging to reintroduce the scheme for non-EU visitors, with a possible extension to EU visitors if the evidence supports it. Responding to the announcement, Dee Corsi said:
“A restored scheme could put real money back into the system through the tills of British retailers, hospitality and the wider visitor economy. It could give London the tools to compete more effectively on the global stage – and send a strong signal that we are open for growth.”
The Government published its response to the consultation on an Overnight Visitor Levy, setting out a proposed national framework for its introduction. Our position remains that any levy introduced must be proportionate, in line with global standards and reinvested in the areas where it is generated. There needs to be a careful balance to ensure additional costs do not deter tourism or undermine the growth needed to support the future of the West End.
OXFORD STREET
The Mayor of London, Lord Khan, announced that the stretch of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street will become traffic-free from Monday 26 October. This marks an important milestone in the continued evolution of one of the nation’s high street. The focus now must be on getting the delivery right – maintaining access for businesses and visitors while ensuring the street remains safe, clean, accessible and welcoming.
This will be particularly important during the crucial Christmas trading period, when Oxford Street and the wider West End will welcome millions of visitors and businesses rely on a successful festive season.
New West End Company will continue to work closely with the Oxford Street Development Corporation, the Mayor, Westminster City Council, Transport for London and our members to help realise that ambition and ensure Oxford Street’s transformation works for the whole West End.
TfL is running workshops for businesses along Oxford Street to explain changes to deliveries and servicing and help prepare for pedestrianisation.
Oxford Street businesses:
Surrounding area businesses:
INNOVATION
We continue to refine our analytics to provide you with the most relevant and accurate insights for the West End, so that you can make the right business decisions.
We have partnered with CACI to provide domestic spend data, giving us improved visibility on what is happening in West End spending behaviour and an increased representation of domestic spend, covering 21% of the market. This new data helped inform our latest Monthly Insights Report for August.
August was a positive month for West End retail, with sales increasing by +10.6%. This growth came against a backdrop of increased visitor activity, with footfall up +2.6% and transaction volumes rising more strongly at +6.2%.
Members have access to the full report on our Insights Portal.
Our latest Visitor Insights Report will be released later in October, drawing on more than 1,000 on-street survey responses collected across the West End in May 2026.
The report provides a deeper understanding of who visits the West End, why they visit, how they behave and how they experience the district, covering visitor profiles, trip purpose, dwell time, spending behaviour and sentiment. The latest research shows:
- Retail spend increases by 42% for each additional hour spent in the West End, for visits of up to five hours.
- International tourists spend 26% more on average than domestic visitors.
- Visitors make an average of 37 visits per year and spend 126 minutes per visit in the West End.
EXPERIENCE
OxFood Street returned this September, putting the West End’s food and drink scene firmly on the map.
The campaign kicked off with a press and influencer food safari, taking in LAVO for limited-edition cocktails, Aqua Kyoto for sushi and cocktail pairings, and Madera for tacos, margaritas and spectacular skyline views.
We also partnered with NICE Drinks and Market Halls for a Date My Mate event, alongside food-focused content showcasing the breadth of the West End’s restaurants, bars and dining experiences. Explore OxFood Street.
OxFood Street Press and Influencer Food Safari
Our destination marketing continues to put the West End in the spotlight, with recent visits from journalists and creators at Forbes US, The Sun, On In London, The Hood Magazine, PopSugar and PureWow. Upcoming coverage includes a family-focused feature in The Sun for October half term and print and online features in The Hood Magazine.
Festive preparations are also gathering pace. Oxford Street’s Christmas lights are now being installed, kicking off the countdown to the West End’s biggest trading season. Switch-on details will be announced soon – watch this space.
Visitors can expect Regent Street to be closed for traffic on Thursday 5 November, as part of a special switch-on event featuring three stages and on-street activations. Find out more on the official website.
On Bond Street, preparations are underway for the Christmas lights switch-on on 12 November, including plans for a road closure. Brands interested in getting involved can contact Head of Destination Marketing Danny Sullivan at [email protected].
Meanwhile, our new partnership with Broadsheet is uncovering Bond Street’s under-the-radar experiences, supported by dedicated newsletter and social content over the coming weeks.
There are plenty of new offers to make the most of through West End Club this month including 20% off at Gaucho, 2-for-1 cocktails at The London EDITION, and exclusive membership rates at TopNotch Gym Soho. Explore the latest offers.
EVENTS
On 16 September, we represented the West End at London Real Estate Forum (LREF), with Dee Corsi speaking on two panels.
The first explored perceptions of safety in an investment context, alongside Adam Hawksbee, External Affairs Director at M&S; Louise Puddefoot, Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Met Police; Festus Akinbusoye, Deputy Cabinet Member for Enforcement at Westminster City Council; and Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive at BusinessLDN.
‘Open and Safe: Perceptions of Safety in an Investment Context’ Panel at LREF 2026
The second looked at how stronger connections can shape the future of Westminster, with Tim Barnes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning at Westminster City Council; James Cooksey, Chief Executive at Old Park Lane Management; Azzees Minott, Chief Operating Officer at 2-3 Degrees; and Rosie Day, Chief Strategy Officer at London Property Alliance.
Cllr Tim Barnes used part of his opening address to announce the publication of Westminster City Council’s Growth Statement that same day. The statement sets out how the Council will support sustainable growth, attract investment and create opportunities for residents and businesses, with the retail, hospitality and visitor experience sector identified as a key opportunity for growth. Read the statement in full.
‘Connected for Growth: Building Confidence in Westminster’s Future’ Panel at LREF 2026
Our autumn events programme continues with Circular Economy Week on 14 October (RSVP here), when we’ll host a panel discussion and pre-loved item swap at The BoTree. Members can bring up to three items and/or a book to exchange, with Loved Again London leading the swap alongside drinks and canapés.
Looking ahead to Christmas, we’re launching our first-ever Christmas Choir Concert on 2 December at Grosvenor Chapel. This exclusive member event will bring our community together for a festive evening – and, we hope, mark the start of a new West End tradition. RSVP here.
DISTRICT NEWS
Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand SKIMS has opened its first UK flagship on Regent Street. The 12,000 sq ft store opened on 23 July, marking a significant milestone for the brand and a further addition to Regent Street’s international retail offer.
SKIMS Co-founder and CEO Jens Grede said: “Our flagship stores play an important role in how customers experience Skims beyond the product. Opening on Regent Street is a significant milestone for the brand and reflects our continued investment in creating immersive retail destinations in the world’s leading shopping cities.”
John Lewis has unveiled its new in-store restaurant concept, Platter, at its Oxford Street flagship. The 300-cover restaurant is one of the largest on Oxford Street and will eventually replace John Lewis restaurants across 32 stores.
The move reflects changing customer behaviour, with hospitality now accounting for more than 20% of John Lewis in-store transactions and sales growing by nearly 10% over the past year. The retailer says customers are increasingly treating food and hospitality as part of the shopping experience, rather than a break from it.
Global headwear brand New Era has signed a 10-year lease for a new Oxford Street flagship, adjacent to Selfridges and close to Bond Street station.
The arrival adds to the continued investment from international brands on Oxford Street, with Savills Associate Director Callum White describing the deal as another sign of the street’s growing momentum ahead of its transformation into a traffic-free environment.
