Businesses from Piccadilly, Leicester Square and St James’s, including The Ritz London, National Portrait Gallery and The Royal Academy of Arts, voted Heart of London Business Alliance – a West End Business Alliance – to lead a further five year business improvement programme.
Throughout February and March, Westminster City Council ran a formal ballot for businesses to submit their votes for the relaunch of the Business Alliance, with an overwhelming majority choosing to vote in favour of the re-election. From the Piccadilly and St James’s area 92.44% of businesses re-elected Heart of London, whilst 91.43% of those in the Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus area voted the same.
An iconic visitor destination, the Heart of London is home to world-leading retail and leisure operators. The organisation’s fourth consecutive term will see investment to cement the area as a world-class destination for visitors and businesses, helping to future-proof the West End’s thriving economy.
The Business Alliance proposals for Heart of London businesses include: continuing to promote the world-class destination, ensure exceptional public spaces, provide decisive leadership and influence, provide robust resilience and infrastructure, and deliver powerful insight and networks.
To deliver these promises, the Business Alliance will continue work with the council, the Mayor of London’s office and Transport for London, as well as neighbouring BIDs to drive a better future for businesses and locals in the area where visitor numbers will exponentially grow in the near future due to the forecast £42 billion in economic benefits that Crossrail is set to bring to London and the UK.
Andy Godfrey, Chairman of Heart of London Business Alliance says: “The businesses across Piccadilly, St James’s and Leicester Square share an iconic location helping fuel the UK’s £127 billion tourist economy. These businesses’ priorities remain Heart of London Business Alliance’s priority and we are proud to lead another five years of cementing the area as the world-class destination.”
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance says, “We have been voted in to lead businesses in this area at a pivotal time for London and the wider UK. Heart of London Business Alliance is an example of a community realising its shared interests, particularly across the tourism and leisure sectors, to achieve one common goal: a world-class destination for business and visitors.
“We are proud to lead the globally recognised Piccadilly, St James’s and Leicester Square areas forward and work together with our members and partners to future-proof the West End’s thriving economy.”
Councillor Robert Davis MBE DL, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Business, Culture and Heritage says, “I am delighted that after a successful campaign led by Ros Morgan the future of The Heart of London Business Alliance is secure until 2022.
“Heart of London share the City Council’s vision for a vibrant and successful city and I look forward to continuing to work in close partnership with them to maintain Westminster’s reputation as a world-class destination.
“From Leicester Square to Piccadilly Circus and St James’s, Heart of London has supported and led on a raft of significant improvements to the public realm making it a safer and more pleasant place for resident, workers and tourists to visit.”
Heart of London Business Alliance has been successful in securing the ballot to represent St James’s, Piccadilly and Leicester Square businesses for the next five years, their fourth consecutive term since forming in 2001.Future plans for Heart of London Business Alliance include:
World-Class Destination
To remain the number one global destination by continuing to promote the West End to worldwide audiences, backed by a clear strategy to showcase what the West End has to offer and ensure they remain a global business address and world-class destination.
Exceptional Public Spaces
To ensure that the quality of the urban environment is exceptional. They will build upon their successes to date to ensure that public spaces and streets continue to be rejuvenated, clean, attractive, actively managed and worthy of their iconic status.
Decisive Leadership and Influence
As the representative of over 500 businesses and property owners in the West End, Heart of London has a strong voice. They will continue to work with and for their members and partners to mitigate challenges and seize opportunities.
Robust Resilience and Infrastructure
It is vital that businesses have the infrastructure to provide the highest levels of productivity and service. They will ensure that they are able to respond to external factors and this area of London is always open for business.
Powerful Insight and Networks
To provide best in class services and react to changing economic and political dynamics, knowledge is key. They will provide reliable and relevant information, deliver thought provoking leadership and powerful business networks, supporting their members’ decision making and helping them to grow and flourish.
Achievements through partnerships since 2012:
- £40 million investment in public realm
- 50 football pitches worth of streets deep-cleaned every 6 weeks
- 8,000 issues tackled annually by Heart of London Ambassadors
- 36% less crime since the introduction of the West End Impact Zone
- £3 billion extra spend generated by London Luxury Quarter annually
- World-class events such as Lumiere London