Businesses in the district voted decisively to renew New West End Company’s mandate for a further five years and unlock £60 million in dedicated investment.

Thank you to our existing members across retail, hospitality and leisure for your continued support, and thank you to our new office members for your fresh vote of confidence in New West End Company. From 1 April 2026, we look forward to moving ahead as one West End, working towards our shared goal of securing the district’s position as a world-leading flagship destination.

Across the next five years, our focus will be on the delivery of a bold programme of activity, set out in our business plan, The Future is West End. From enhanced 24/7 on-street security and cleansing services, to strategic marketing campaigns, powerful insights and an influential voice with political stakeholders, we are committed to turning your support into tangible results.

As 2025 draws to a close, it also offers an opportunity to look back on some of our key achievements over the past 12 months.

Reflecting our ambition to create a safe and welcoming West End for all, I am proud to share we are the first BID in London to be accredited as a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP). Achieving this required our Security & Operations team to demonstrate the highest standards of partnership working, particularly with the Metropolitan Police. This collaborative approach was evident in this year’s Operation West End – read more about the operation’s impressive results below. Building on this trusted partnership, in 2025 we also signed a landmark data-sharing agreement with the force, enabling targeted hotspot policing and real-time intelligence sharing. Safety and security are our members’ top priority, and this progress shows just how seriously we take that responsibility.

In January, we founded High Streets UK, a pro-growth partnership of business representatives from nine cities across the country of which I am Chair. Through a programme of sustained advocacy, this platform has enabled us to further amplify our members’ main concerns with key decision-makers in local and national Government. Our ‘Safer High Streets’ forum in London, for instance, provided an opportunity to discuss high street crime directly with the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz. At our drinks reception during the Labour Party Conference, I was also able to raise the issue with Minister for Policing and Crime, Sarah Jones MP. Together, these engagements demonstrate a clear outcome: our collective voice is strong and increasingly influential with those in power to drive meaningful change.

This year also marked an important milestone in the transformation of Oxford Street, something we have long campaigned for. There has been encouraging progress in the establishment of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for the street. Throughout the process, we have been a consistent voice for our members in key discussions, most notably at a hearing of the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee. We have been clear that the Mayor’s ambitions will only succeed if local businesses are meaningfully involved in decision-making, and we will continue to ensure our members’ interests and concerns are fully represented.

I often say there is no place like the West End. That is, in great part, thanks to the world-class experiences our members offer, promoted year-round on our social and digital channels. Throughout the year, we have driven forward an exciting calendar of seasonal activities – be it our partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts for Art in Mayfair or our collaboration with London Restaurant Festival for OxFood Street. This culminates with our Christmas lights on Bond Street and Oxford Street. Coupled with Regent Street’s ‘Spirit of Christmas’ scheme by The Crown Estate, these activations attract millions of visitors – cementing the district’s reputation as the ultimate festive destination.

Finally, our Insights offering continues to empower our members to make decisions based on trusted intelligence. It also serves a powerful tool that underpins our lobbying activity, grounding our policy asks in robust evidence. Take our festive forecast, for instance: it is the most authoritative assessment of predicted West End performance during the most important trading period, covered by the likes of the Standard, Retail Week and Drapers. This data-driven approach positions us as the go-to source for trusted insight and supports our ambition for a more competitive, sustainable and future-ready West End.

Our next BID term starts from April 2026, when we will fully roll out our new brand identity – modern, sophisticated, fit for a world-class flagship destination. Until then – and beyond – we remain committed to driving the West End forward, not just for today, but for the years ahead.

From all of us at New West End Company, I wish you a wonderful end to the festive season, and a very happy New Year.

Warmest regards,

Dee Corsi, Chief Executive

SECURITY & OPERATIONS

We are delighted to be the first BID in London to be accredited a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP), achieving the highest grade of standards required by the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships (NABCP). This is a business-led, partnership-based approach to preventing crime, where BCRPs work closely with the police and the local authorities to tackle and reduce crime affecting businesses and the wider community.

Sophie Jordan, Chief Executive Officer at NABCP, shared her thoughts on our achievement: “From excellent data analysis and intelligence sharing, to strong collaboration with police and local authorities, and delivering visible on-the-ground support, NWEC has set a benchmark for excellence. Their commitment ensures the West End remains a safe, welcoming destination for businesses, workers, and visitors alike.”

Across December, our Operations team continued to work closely with partners at the Metropolitan Police Service and Westminster City Council to deliver our fourth consecutive Operation West End – our annual flagship initiative, which runs for seven weeks from the end of November, and is designed to provide additional resource and reassurance during the festive period.

Our joint-patrols with the Metropolitan Police Service have resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals so far. This has been underpinned by robust intelligence gathering and sharing, between our member businesses, our Operations team, and local partners. Through our joint-activity with Westminster City Council, we have also been able to issue 13 fixed penalty notices (£100 fines) to irregular pedicabs. These shared successes are a testament to our strong working partnership with the police and the council.

Also as part of the Operation, our enhanced cleaning team completed four bulky waste collections for members and delivered a deep cleansing of entrances at Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Marble Arch underground stations.

On 12 December, our Chief Executive, Dee Corsi, and Chief Operating Officer, Lucy Mitchell, attended a roundtable organised by the Metropolitan Police, which brought together key retailers, hospitality providers and business representatives to discuss partnership working and its significant contribution to deterring high street crime. The session represented an important milestone for the Metropolitan Police, as it concluded its ‘New Met for London: Phase 2’ roadshow. Participants shared key learnings and best practices on how to meaningfully tackle crime, with New West End Company being the authoritative voice for the West End.

As part of the discussions, Lucy delivered a keynote presentation about our security operations in front of a key audience – from Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, and Commander Andy Featherstone to Leader of Westminster City Council, Adam Hug, and Deputy Mayors Howard Dawber and Kaya Comer-Schwartz. The next meeting is scheduled for Spring, focused on how to bolster London’s global reputation as a safe and welcoming destination. We look forward to playing a key part in that conversation.

The Greater London Authority (GLA), in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service and the business community increased nighttime policing during the festive season, as part of its Safer Winter Nights initiative. In the West End, this is being delivered in close collaboration with New West End Company – with our 24/7 on-street security patrols and intelligence sharing playing a vital role. Commenting on the announcement, Dee Corsi commented stated: “Tackling crime in the West End, the UK’s most renowned destination, requires a unique partnership approach between business, police and local government. Together, we know we can drive real change for the area.”

On 11 December we held an Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) Awareness Webinar for business members. It was a productive session led by representatives from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Counter Terrorism Protective Security Operations (PSO) team, who shared insights on topics including: ‘The Power of Hello’ for proactive engagement, the ‘HOT Method’ for assessing suspicious items, recognising signs of ‘Hostile Reconnaissance’, and updates on the current threat level. Such webinars are part of our ongoing commitment to supporting business resilience and proactive planning. If you are interested in attending a future webinar, please contact Akin Shodeinde on [email protected].

Our Security and Operations Manager, Akin Shodeinde, took part in Westminster City Council’s Night Stars initiative on Black Friday. Night Stars volunteers are focused on working with West End businesses to promote women’s safety and reduce violence against women and girls during nighttime. As part of the patrol, the group carried out business engagement visits to retailers, hotels and restaurants, raising awareness of support services for women and girls available on busy trading days. Creating a safer and more inclusive West End, particularly for women and girls, is a key priority for us at New West End Company – participating in initiatives like the Night Stars reflects this.

CAMPAIGNING AND ADVOCACY

Following announcements made at the Autumn Budget, the Government is collecting evidence on the impact of changes to business rates – looking particularly at potential knock-on-effect on investment and options to address barriers.

New West End Company is currently undertaking an assessment, delving into the total business rates liability for members across retail, leisure, hospitality and offices, once the re-valuation and new multipliers come into effect from April 2026. The findings will help inform our submission to the Treasury and shape policy asks moving forward.

We are also in the process of putting together a response to the Government’s public consultation on the Visitor Levy in England – with representations from both New West End Company and High Streets UK. Specifically, it is seeking views on elements such as how any revenues collected should be used; how levies should be calculated; and the accompanying administrative framework.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London (TfL) are gathering views on the next stage of plans to transform and revitalise Oxford Street. Specifically, TfL is seeking feedback on its proposals for transport and highway changes to deliver the pedestrianisation of the street. It focuses primarily on the traffic modelling for the Phase 1 – encompassing the section between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street.

New West End Company is currently working on a response on behalf of our members, ahead of the 16 January deadline. If you would like your thoughts to be included in any of the consultation responses mentioned above, please contact our Head of Corporate Communications and External Affairs, Lorna Keegan, at [email protected].

Our renewed tax-free shopping campaign, in partnership with Heathrow Airport, Cadogan, and Knightsbridge Partnership, is ongoing. We are working closely with our research partner to explore a range of options to ensure the UK remains competitive internationally. This work is taking a global view of the different international shopping schemes used by other major destinations, with the aim of presenting a strong, evidence-led case to HM Treasury and wider policymakers. We will continue engagement with regional stakeholders and partners, ahead of a public campaign launch next year.

INNOVATION & INSIGHTS

Our Insights team is currently working on a monthly update for November, including the latest trends in retail and leisure sales, visitor profiles and tourist travel. The report will also explore changes in pedestrian visitor traffic in the West End, with dwell time up +8.8% YoY and footfall surging +3.1% YoY. The full analysis will be available to members before Christmas.

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].

Looking ahead to the new year, analysis for our annual West End turnover forecast is well underway. The report will take a deep dive into retail and leisure turnover for 2025, as well a comprehensive assessment of how the changing economic outlook is impacting our district. The team has also started working on our bi-annual Visitor Insights survey, designed to enhance our members’ understanding of visitor motivations, preferred activities, and average dwell time. Results will also be published in 2026.

DESTINATION MARKETING

This month, our Oxford Street account achieved 100k followers on Instagram. As we fast approach the new year, we look forward to continuing our partnership working, so that Oxford Street and the wider West End remains in the spotlight on digital channels and the media. If you’d like to get featured, get in touch with our Campaigns and Content Manager, Francesca Thesen, at [email protected].

Our West End Club continues to thrive. This month so far, we welcomed 245 new members, recorded 627 redemptions, and saw 1.6k visits through the app. Engagement has been high, with 616 users taking part in our Advent Calendar competition, enjoying exclusive offers from IKEA, Krispy Kreme, Boom Battle Bar, The Bar at Home, and more.

EVENTS

IN THE DISTRICT

Oxford Street is now home to Puma’s latest flagship store – the largest-ever in Europe. It brings the best of the company’s products and immersive storytelling closer to consumers, on the UK’s busiest and most renowned high street. As pointed out by CEO Arthur Hoeld, the Oxford Street flagship represents “a powerful platform to engage directly with consumers, showcase our latest performance innovations, and strengthen our brand presence in one of the world’s most influential retail destinations”.

Reflecting a growing appetite from visitors for leisure experiences, Market Halls has recently opened a brand-new game centre. Games Hall features a line-up of games for competitive socialising – including darts, pool and arcade – alongside its varied food and drinks offerings.

In December, Mango invited customers to step into Christmas – quite literally! Visitors who spent £70 or more were given the opportunity to add a little magic to their gifts by recording, from a recording booth, a personalised message into a cassette tape. The initiative was a prime example of how our retailers are responding to changing consumer needs with immersive brand experiences.