The team and I remain focused on strengthening our existing partnerships and hearing directly from members about their priorities, so that we can further refine the strategic direction and the detailed initiatives that will form part of our five-year Business Plan.

It has also given me reason to pause and reflect on the last twelve months, during which the West End has continued to demonstrate resilience in the face of wider economic pressures. Despite challenges, we have remained one of the best performing flagship destinations in the capital – a reflection of the strength of our offer, the ambition of our business community, and the global appeal of the West End.

There are two days left to respond to the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan’s, proposals to revitalise Oxford Street through the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC). The consultation also seeks the public’s views on the principle of pedestrianisation. We will be submitting a response based on member feedback via our Oxford Street MDC survey. However, we are strongly encouraging each business to submit its own response, to ensure that the Mayor receives a clear picture of the views of individual businesses.

The arrival of the iconic IKEA experience on Oxford Street is a significant milestone in the street’s ongoing evolution. Today’s opening is the culmination of an extensive sustainable upgrade of the Grade II listed building, and it was a privilege to attend an intimate stakeholder dinner earlier this week, and hear more from Peter Jelkeby, CEO of IKEA UK&I, about the business’ long-term investment into the area, and his future vision for the store.

You continue to tell us that our Security team play an invaluable role in the district, sharing important intelligence and best practice, and acting as a critical link between our members and the Metropolitan Police Service. I am therefore delighted to say that we have just launched a dedicated District Offender Management Portal – a hub for you to log incidents and be kept up to date with the latest intelligence on prolific offenders and organised crime groups. You can read more on how to get involved below, and the other steps we are taking to make the district safer and more secure for members and visitors alike.

I was delighted to attend an intimate breakfast with Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, earlier this week, where we had an in-depth discussion regarding the upcoming spending review in June. Working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service remains pivotal to ensuring the West End remains a safe and welcoming destination, and it is always invaluable to hear directly from Sir Rowley on his plans for the organisation and to discuss how we can continue to strengthen our ongoing partnership.

We cannot ignore the reality that uncertainty in global markets seems set to continue in the near-term. That is why we remain focused on lobbying for policy making that will safeguard the West End’s competitiveness, and secure inward investment. In particular, we know that our international visitors play a vital role in the district’s success, particularly when domestic spending remains cautious.

We are continuing to raise awareness of the absence of tax-free shopping; In April, New West End Company research on the impact of losing tax-free shopping was referenced in The Sunday Times, and I was quoted on the issue in the Evening Standard. To support our ongoing efforts we are developing a bold new campaign to shift the narrative on tax-free shopping, with more updates to be provided in the coming months.

Following the submission of High Streets UK and New West End Company’s formal responses to the Government’s Business Rates Discussion Paper in March, our urgent call for the Government to review its proposals was picked up by The Times, and further explored in an opinion piece I penned for Drapers, whilst our thoughts on the disbanding of the Valuations Office Authority was picked up by The Grocer.

I would also like to extend a big thank you to Property Week for the opportunity to discuss High Street UK’s mission as part of their ‘Big Interview’ slot, and why we believe that we can work together with the Government to tackle issues from rising business rates to escalating retail crime. Preparations are already underway for High Street UK’s next Forum in June on Crime and Public Safety, and we are looking forward to welcoming the other founding members to the West End.

Dee Corsi, Chief Executive

SECURITY & OPERATIONS

Through the hard work and diligence of our on-street Security Team, a prolific offender, operating primarily on Regent Street, has been successfully charged and handed down a 12 month suspended sentence and 5 year Criminal Behavior Order, excluding him from entering the London Borough of Westminster in that time period. This is a direct result of actions taken by our team, who remained in close contact with the Metropolitan Police Service and detained the offender on two occasions, resulting in his double arrest.

In the same month, as a result of intelligence passed to the Metropolitan Police Service from New West End Company’s Security Team, a male assisting in the facilitation of a pickpocketing network operating in the district has now been arrested and is currently in prison on remand, awaiting trial.

Following a successful operation in the district last year, this month the Metropolitan Police Service conducted another undercover operation tackling luxury watch theft. The operation was a resounding success, resulting in the arrest of 40 individuals linked to an organised crime gang.
To further enhance our security operations, and enable us to build a clearer picture of the issues affecting member businesses, we are happy to report that we have set up a new District Offender Management Portal. This portal will provide access for members to log incidents involving prolific offenders and organised criminal groups operating within our district; view offender intelligence; and receive updates on recent good news stories from the Metropolitan Police Service.
By using the portal and reporting incidents, you will be helping to strengthen our ability to understand and tackle crime more effectively, making the district safer and more secure for all. To find out more about the portal, and how to give key staff access, please contact our Security and Operations Coordinator, Akin Shodeinde, at [email protected].

New West End Company Crisis Management Tabletop Exercise – 25 April 2025

On Friday 25 April, New West End Company’s Security and Operations team were joined by our Senior Intelligence Analyst, Dan Williams, to deliver a Crisis Management Tabletop Exercise for the senior leadership team at the Marriot Grosvenor Hotel. Such scenario-based exercises can be a valuable tool for building business preparedness and resilience. To find out more about how we could deliver something similar for your business, please contact our Head of Security and Operations, Jamie Conroy, at [email protected].

On 30 April, Jamie Conroy, Head of Security and Operations, joined speakers from Grosvenor and the Metropolitan Police Service to present at the Grosvenor Mayfair Safety Workshop. Focused on Mayfair retailers, the workshop afforded attendees the opportunity to hear more about the service delivered by New West End Company’s Security and Operations team.

We were delighted to attend the W1 Security Committee meeting, engaging with the General Managers of 38, 5* hotels across Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Jamie Conroy, Head of Security and Operations met with a sub-group to discuss security and crime concerns, and will be scheduling follow-up meetings to further strengthen local relationships between hospitality businesses and the Metropolitan Police Service.

It was fantastic to have our Senior Intelligence Analyst, Dan Williams, speak at The Security Event, where he spoke about why TableTop Exercises (TTXs) are critical – across both physical security and broader corporate security functions.

His presentation is particularly timely, in light of The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 receiving Royal Assent at the beginning of April. The law requires venues to have actionable procedures in place for terrorist incidents. If you would like to learn more about it, please contact [email protected].

We are so proud of Nitu Kashap, Manager of New West End Company’s 24/7, on-street Security team for being named Security Manager of the Year at this year’s regional British Security Industry Association Awards. Nitu has been an invaluable asset to the team, leading our security partnership with FGH over the last three years, and we wish her the very best of luck in the upcoming national awards.

INNOVATION & INSIGHTS

On 24 April, our Director of Insights & Strategy, Paddy Gamble, and Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs, Lorna Keegan, hosted a webinar on the impact the Government’s proposed changes to the business rates system could have on flagship high streets across the country – analysis which was covered by the likes of The Times, Drapers, City AM, and Property Week.

The session was part of our work under High Streets UK – the pro-growth, nationwide partnership of business representatives co-founded by New West End Company. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about how the changes outlined in the Government’s Business Rates Discussion Paper will impact flagship high streets in city centres across the UK, as well as the actions High Streets UK is taking to advocate for a fairer business rates system.

Click below to watch the webinar.

Last month, New West End Company launched a short online survey to assess the impact of key policy issues – including the lack of tax-free shopping and Sunday trading restrictions. Your views will help inform our campaigning priorities for the year ahead, as we enter the last 12 months of our current BID term and prepare for the ballot in November. Thank you to all who took the time to complete the survey.

You can access our monthly sales reports, and interactive insights dashboards, at our dedicated Insights portal here. For more information, or to find out how you can gain access to our wealth of proprietary West End data, please contact our Insights Analyst, Fergus Connor at [email protected]

CAMPAIGNING AND ADVOCACY

Following your responses to New West End Company’s survey on the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan’s plans to revitalise Oxford Street through the creation of a Mayoral Development Consultation (MDC), we will shortly be submitting a response to the Mayor’s public consultation on the matter and we encourage all individual businesses to do the same by the Friday 2 May deadline. Click here for more details on how to submit a response.

Our views were also shared with the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee, to help inform the body’s response to the consultation. As part of this process, our Chief Executive, Dee Corsi, joined Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, Councillor Richard Olszewski, Leader of the London Borough of Camden, and Tim Lord, Chair of The Soho Society, on a panel to address questions by the committee regarding the proposed MDC for Oxford Street. You can watch the meeting in full here.

On 1 April, Chief Operating Officer Lucy Mitchell was accompanied by Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs Lorna Keegan at Westminster City Council’s After Dark Strategy launch event.

Held at RSA House, the event gathered over 70 stakeholders, including residents, businesses, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), landowners, and partners. Attendees heard from the council, as it shared its bold vision for a safer, accessible, and more inclusive Westminster between 6pm and 6am.

New West End Company will respond to the council’s public consultation on its plans in due course. If you would like to share your feedback with us for consideration, please email [email protected].

On 30 April, New West End Company’s Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs, Lorna Keegan, attended a private dinner hosted by the Centre for Policy Studies, where she heard from Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, and CPS Director Robert Colvile. It was a valuable opportunity to hear from both speakers on their recommendations for tackling the issues of crime and public safety.

EVENTS

On 1 April, Corporate Communications and External Affairs Manager Juliana Freitas attended BusinessLDN’s April 2025 Briefing, which touched on how the Mayor’s London Growth Plan should inform the Government’s priorities in the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and Spending Review.

One of the key points discussed by the organisation was the Mayoral Development Corporation for Oxford Street – crucially, how the proposals by the Mayor could help drive investment and secure the street’s position as a leading international destination for retail, leisure and hospitality.

BusinessLDN’s April 2025 Briefing: What Next for London? – Tuesday 1 April 2025

Also on 1 April, New West End Company hosted our bi-annual Agents Breakfast, at which Paddy Gamble, Director of Insights & Strategy, presented the latest West End Spotlight, as well as our 2024 Annual Turnover Report. Nathan Parsad-Wyatt, Director of Communications and Campaigns, and Lucy Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer, then provided updates on our campaigning and advocacy priorities and operational focuses – including a security update and next steps on the Oxford Street Programme.

Additionally, we had the pleasure of welcoming representatives from our Private Member Clubs and Luxury Restaurants members for a roundtable discussion at Amazonico London on 2 April. It was a valuable opportunity to hear from our members, as they shared their thoughts as to how New West End Company can best support their businesses in the future.

DESTINATION MARKETING

Oxford Street’s iconic Union Jack Flags on display for the month of May

IN THE DISTRICT

In April, Regent Street welcomed two exciting new openings in the district. US sportswear brand Fanatics opened doors of its first ever global flagship store dedicated to its Collectibles line on 25 April, and The House of Creed, renowned for its luxurious fragrances, has reopened its flagship boutique in the historic Grade II-listed 1920s Quadrant Arcade.

Sensorium – an immersive pop-up which ran from 9 – 27 April on Heddon Square – took visitors on a journey through Regent Street’s iconic history using scent, taste, sight, touch and sound. The temporary installation was yet another example of the district’s growing leisure line-up, joining established names such as Moco Museum , Frameless, Outernet London, and Twist Museum.

Sensorium Launch April 2025

PUMA announced it has chosen Oxford Street for the opening of its first European flagship store. Due to launch in the autumn, the 24,000 square foot shop will aim to offer an interactive experience that blends sport, performance and fashion. Customers will be able to choose from the brand’s streetwear designs while immersing themselves in a range of experiences, including personalisation opportunities.

Earlier this month, New Balance opened the doors to its redesigned, three-storey flagship store on Oxford Street. The store design is centred around a new global retail concept for the brand, built on the three pillars of community, performance and self-expression. The space will also serve as a hub for events, collaborations and seasonal activations.

From 17 – 28 April, long-time Oxford Circus resident, Nike, launched RunTown – a first-of-its-kind experience curated by runners for runners. The pop-up featured an exclusive Nike race hub, to support runners preparing for race day, as well as a fuel bar and comfort zone, featuring 1-1 sessions with Nike physios, free of charge.