What is the nature and scale of the crisis and why are some streets and centres doing better or worse than others. What can be done about it?  We’ll discuss these and related issues at this Open Meeting on 26th March – please book here.

London’s town centres have had a challenging decade – changing planning policies, growing on-line sales, COVID, vacant shops and rising costs. They are in transition, but are they going in the right direction? How can we maintain their vitality? How do we make them more attractive and a focus for our communities?

Since 2005 – the year when the first five London Business Improvement Districts were founded – there has been a rapid growth in the number of BIDs. Town centres businesses join together to increase the competitiveness of their centre. Can they deliver better outcomes for our communities?

London’s nightlife – pubs, clubs, music venues – has been under pressure, with premises closing and rising costs. The Mayor wants to support and grow London’s vital night-time industries. How might this affect our communities?

This Open Meeting will review:

• What has happened to London’s town centres/high streets?
  Speaker: Steven Norris, Lambert Smith Hampton
• The growth and impact of Business Improvement Districts
  Speaker: Alexander Jan, Chair: Central District Alliance & Hatton Garden BID
• Protecting, retaining and growing London’s Nightlife
  Speaker: Sam Mathys, Senior Policy Officer, 24-hour London, Greater London Authority

These are our high streets and we must help them regain their vitality.

Refreshments and chat from 6pm. This is a free event, but please book, so that we know how many to expect.