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Section 3

Open and Safe

A safe, confident West End is fundamental to London’s reputation as a world-class destination for businesses, workers, residents and visitors. Safety leads because it is a clear priority for our members, where we have made our largest investment and can demonstrate tangible results,

We have already committed to invest £23 million in security and operations over the coming five years. In the last BID year, we financed nearly 80,000 hours of high-visibility private security patrol and worked with the Met Police to achieve a 45% drop in theft-from-person (such as phone theft) in 2025.¹

To further improve safety in the district, we are campaigning for:

1.

A long-term commitment to increases in visible neighbourhood policing in the West End

2

A national, multi-agency taskforce on organised retail and acquisitive crime, including the organised begging and rough sleeping networks that exploit vulnerable people on our streets and are frequently linked to the same criminal groups.

3

A statutory framework for live facial recognition, recognising the positive impact it has in reducing crime, whilst ensuring it is deployed consistently, transparently and without bias.

¹ New West End Company ‘Open and Safe’ report

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“For our stores to thrive, we need a tax system that supports growth and a West End that is safe, clean and welcoming to visitors from the UK and around the world. New West End Company gives local businesses a strong voice, helping create the conditions for investment and safeguarding the district’s status as a world-leading destination for retail, leisure, hospitality and business.”

Adam Hawksbee
External Affairs Director, Marks & Spencer

Our Plan

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