Westminster City Council scraps plans to charge for pavement space Westminster City Council scraps plans to charge for pavement space Westminster City Council has scrapped plans to charge hospitality firms thousands of pounds to keep trading outside through the coming months. Earlier today City A.M. revealed that the Council was set to charge businesses £7 per square metre of outside space, per day, once the existing ‘al fresco’ scheme comes to an end on October [...]
Illegal London candy stores turned into rent free shops in Oxford Street clean-up SUGAR FREE Oxford Street is set for a major revamp as Westminster City Council launches a new £10m scheme to transform London’s iconic high street. The council will make shops vacated by illicit candy stores, which have blighted the leading retail destination, available to small business owners rent free and lower their business rates by 70 per [...]
Pret A Manger fined £800,000 after employee became stuck in freezer retail Pret A Manger has been fined £800,000 after one of its workers was left fearing for her life while stuck in one of its freezers. Westminster City Council said the employee became trapped in the walk-in commercial freezer, which typically has its temperature set at -18C, for two and a half hours while working at the [...]
Supersize vapes and fake designer goods seized in £55k raid on Oxford Street candy store February 1, 2024 Illegal supersize vapes, fake designer mobile phone covers and sweets with additives banned in the UK were among items seized by London law enforcement following a £55k raid on one of the West End’s American Candy Stores.
American candy stores: Calls for ‘stronger’ laws and business rate reform to clamp down on shops which blight Oxford Street March 17, 2023 Westminster City Council has called for a “stronger” economic crime bill and reform of business rates to officially bring a halt to American candy and souvenir stores which continue to litter Oxford Street. “We are dealing here with a sophisticated operation which is skilled at exploiting UK legal loopholes,” Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster [...]
‘Utterly pathetic’: M&S boss furious as Gove rejects Oxford Street store demolition plan July 20, 2023 Plans by M&S to demolish its flagship site on Oxford Street have been rejected by Michael Gove. The high street stalwart had previously received a green light from Westminster City Council to tear down its Marble Arch store and replace it with a revamped shop featuring a new cafe, offices and a gym. However, the [...]
Marks and Spencer Oxford Street row: Court told Michael Gove ‘misunderstood and misapplied’ planning policy February 13, 2024 The Secretary of State for levelling up “misunderstood and misapplied” planning policy when it rejected Marks and Spencer Oxford Street demolition scheme, a judge heard. Today, the High Court heard a judicial review by Marks and Spencer over the Secretary of State for levelling up , Michael Gove MP, decision to refuse planning permission for [...]
Pedicab pandemonium? Unlicensed and unstoppable since 1869 November 7, 2023 “This is one of the biggest issues in Westminster,” Nickie Aiken MP told City A.M., earnestly, minutes after the King’s announcement today. It’s not surprising she was excited: the former leader of Westminster City Council has spent a full four years campaigning to remove a loophole on unlicensed pedicabs. Why is this issue so important, [...]
PPHE to develop new 179-room London Victoria hotel as ‘midscale lifestyle’ market grows November 27, 2023 PPHE Hotel Group has been granted planning permission to build a new 179-room hotel below the Park Plaza Victoria London property.
Westminster council boss vows to crack down on illicit American candy stores May 3, 2023 The boss of Westminster City Council has called for “greater transparency” about who operates in the city as it looks to crack down on the business owners behind illicit American Candy stores which litter Oxford Street, with the chief urging for more progress from central government to tackle the issue. Cllr Adam Hug told members [...]