New West End Company

We wish you a joyful festive season and happy New Year.   A heartfelt thank you to all our West End colleagues for your dedication and hard work in keeping our district thriving.   Our services remain fully operational throughout the festive period, so please do not hesitate to reach out as usual if you need any assistance.

To support businesses in delivering the exceptional West End experience visitors expect during the festive trading period, we are once running 'Operation West End' – a four-week uplift in targeted security and cleansing activity. This will be bolstered by additional resource provision from our partners at the Metropolitan Police Service throughout, along with our Operations team available 24/7, as usual. See the various initiatives planned out, as well as how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/eT8rPzP9 

Not even the British weather could get in the way of Oxford Street’s Big Day of JOY last Saturday. On 7 December, the street played host to a series of festive activities to bring the joy of Christmas to visitors to the district – all in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, Oxford Street’s 2024 charity partner. GOSH Charity exists to help Christmas feel like Christmas to seriously ill children. If you’d like to support their work, donate here: https://lnkd.in/eeBZhjwX A big thank you to our members, including John Lewis & Partners, Primark and Market Halls, who were able to accommodate the entertainment indoors and help us continue spreading the festive cheer despite the rain.

New West End Company welcomes the decision by the Government in favour of the redevelopment of Marks and Spencer's flagship store at Marble Arch.   Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/e_3GRiKH

For the third consecutive year, Operation West End is in full swing – providing enhanced security and cleansing services throughout the festive season.    This includes a significant uplift in New West End Company's Security team, along with a dedicated police presence on high footfall days such as Boxing Day and New Year's Eve. The operation will also include deep cleaning of station gateways, and the flushing of all 82 streets in the BID area.   Operation West End runs until the end of December, with our team available 24/7 to support members in delivering the exceptional West End experience visitors expect throughout the season.    Learn more about it: https://lnkd.in/dKvqmjck

New West End Company is proud to have been shortlisted as a finalist for the ‘Security Partnering Initiative of the Year’ category at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards, alongside our longstanding security partners, FGH Security.    Nitu Kashap, FGH’s Contract Security Manager who oversees our Security Patrol teams in the West End, has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the ‘Security Manager of the Year’ category.    Nitu and her team work tirelessly throughout the year, in close partnership with our Operations team, member businesses and local Metropolitan Police Service teams, to ensure that the West End remains as welcoming destination for all those who live, work and play here.   Congratulations to the winners at last night’s ceremony, including FGH, who won ‘Best Security Company to Work For’!

Festive lights have been a time-honoured tradition on Bond Street for over six decades. The street has had some spectacular illuminations over the years, but this season we are excited to celebrate with an exclusive installation from CHANEL Fragrance & Beauty. The illuminations – switched on by British actress and CHANEL ambassador Lucy Boynton yesterday evening – are an ode to CHANEL’s long history with London and Mayfair. They are accompanied by some outstanding festive facades by brands along the street, including the likes of Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. Wrapping up the evening’s celebrations, Ralph Lauren unveiled its ‘Giving Tree,’ in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The switch-on moment was made even more special with the performance of a children’s choir.

We’re excited to see Regent Street shine once again with ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ lights, brought to the West End by The Crown Estate.    Following the switch-on of Oxford Street’s starry lights earlier this week, Regent Street’s display adds to the festive magic in London’s most iconic flagship destination.   Up next: Bond Street, in partnership with Chanel Fragrance & Beauty, from Thursday 14 November.  

In New West End Company’s most recent sustainability report, we explore the topic of urban greening – how living walls, rooftop gardens, and seasonal plants can enhance biodiversity and improve well-being in urban spaces.    This report – the first in a series – was inspired by the insights of our 600+ members, who identified sustainability as a core priority. Similarly, our on-street visitor surveys show that “more spaces to relax” and “more green spaces” consistently top the list of desired improvements to the West End.   Read the full report here and discover how urban greening innovations may apply to your business: https://lnkd.in/dPVTuz3A

Yesterday marked the beginning of the festive season in the West End, with the switch-on of the iconic Oxford Street lights by award-winning singer songwriter Tom Grennan and Emily Mullen, a little girl who has received life-changing care at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH) – our charity partner.   The festive trading period is an important time for businesses across the district. New West End Company is forecasting that £1.7 billion will be spent across November and December, an uplift of 3.2% compared to 2023, and testament to the district’s unique appeal.   And this year, we are encouraging visitors to spread a little joy when they visit the district, by donating to GOSH via the Oxford Street website. Each year, GOSH brings the magic of Christmas to children with serious illnesses, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them this festive season. Read more about the switch-on: https://lnkd.in/dDQ2zvsg