London Mayor Launches £1m West End Marketing Boost
April 27 2009
West End businesses with Westminster City Council with the support of Mayor Boris Johnson and Visit London have come together on a first ever joint campaign – West End It’s Time in a collective marketing push to encourage Londoners into the heart of the capital throughout May and June. The campaign comes ahead of the Mayor’s £2.4 million 'Only in London' marketing drive, which begins this week, designed to attract visitors from the UK and abroad to the capital throughout the summer. The West End will showcase its shopping and entertainment offer that is like nowhere else, with a 50 day feast of free events and promotions worth over £1million.
Capitalising on the growing trend of Londoners opting to holiday in the UK during the recession, the West End partners have joined forces to increase visitors over the next two months, with peaks of activity planned over the May Bank Holiday weekends and half term break. The campaign seeks to encourage even more families and young fashion shoppers into the heart of capital with an entertainment and shopping extravaganza.
A dedicated website at www.westendtime.com will provide daily updates on what to do across the West End and offer over £10,000 in giveaways to launch the campaign on the West End Time to Win Wheel.
Speaking at the launch in Covent Garden today with cast members from Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical and Top Chef Aldo Zilli, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "It is immensely encouraging to see West End businesses coming together to ensure we keep attracting shoppers and tourists into town during these tough times. The latest figures show we are doing extremely well fighting the economic downturn and actually bucking the trend with a significant increase in tourists to London last year. However, there is no time for complacency and the West End It's Time initiative, combined with our £2.4 million 'Only in London' marketing drive, which begins this week, will sell our great capital to visitors from the UK and abroad. It is vital that we all continue shouting from the rooftops that the West End is a great day out whether filling your shopping bags, visiting a show, or grabbing a meal."
West End businesses have delivered this campaign through the West End Marketing Alliance (WEMA) which was set up in 2005 and is Chaired by Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport & Economic Development, Cllr Danny Chalkley. Members include Covent Garden London, Heart of London Business Alliance, New West End Company, Regent Street Association, Shaftesbury PLC, Society of London Theatre, The Crown Estate, Visit London and Westminster City Council.
New West End Company is delivering the West End It’s Time campaign on behalf of WEMA with additional support from Covent Garden London and the Society of London Theatre.