West End Confidential

Mayfair residents are having to suffer regular and increasing stress because of the proliferation of so-called “Destination” bars and restaurants in the area. There have always been numerous pubs, clubs, and restaurants in Mayfair. On the whole the residential population has coexisted quite well with these establishments.
But in recent years, “Destination” bars have arrived, in part because of Westminster Council’s policy of granting Stress Area status to Soho, which has limited the possibility of new late licenses being granted there, whilst at the same time, denying Mayfair the equivalent status. In part also these bars have arrived because of the Council’s tolerance of entrepreneurs such as Richard Caring.
The awful consequence for the tax payers and voters of Mayfair of these Council policies has been steadily increasing stress. Two notable examples of how traditional establishments have been transformed into “Destination” venues are The Punchbowl pub, and Scott’s restaurant. In spite of the demonstable grief that these tranformations have produced for local residents, the Council appears to have washed its hands of the matter.
Perhaps even worse is the way that the Council has turned a blind eye to the truly appalling deterioration of the night time state of that part of Mayfair around Berkeley Street. And yet, in spite of the scale of the existing nightime squalor there, more late night licenses are being planned for this part of Mayfair.
This degradation of the area cannot be allowed to go on. Residents must fight directly for a new licensing policy for Mayfair, and demand that the Council at last recognise that as voters and tax payers, they have rights.

The Dame says more!
See how she plans to run our neighbourhoods and communities. Never mind about residents, voters, and taxpayers. BIDS will determine how things will be organised. It’s positively Orwellian!

See The Dame explaining her view of neighbourhood representation.

In a major Mayfair street, there are currently four Crossrail-linked construction sites in or adjacent to the street, all within a distance of half a mile of each other. In the midst of these building sites, there is also a major private construction project in the street, which further affects the traffic flow, regularly leading to serious traffic jams.
Not withstanding all of this, some genius in Westminster Council has approved an additional construction project for the street, in the form of the installation of broadband cabling.
Not surprisingly, this has now produced traffic chaos! A local resident has written to the Council asking how such an additonal scheme could have been authorised? Was it complete ignorance of the road situation in the West End, or complete stupidity?
We wait to see what the answer is!

What is the West End for?

I have known the West End, one way or another, for over 50 years. For the past 36 years I have lived here. Change has been a constant phenomenon of the area, and it is probably this which has kept it vibrant and relevant, as tastes, fashions, and technologies have evolved.

The West End has always been a great place to live and work in – unique perhaps amongst the central areas of the great cities of the world. The four key areas within it – Mayfair. Soho, Marylebone, and Fitzrovia, have each maintained a balance between commerce, residential, and leisure. And, of course, the area has also been blessed with the proximity of parks and squares. This unique balance has been a magnet, attracting people to the capital from all over the world. There was nothing planned or organised about this. It simply happened, organically.

But in the past few years, this cultural balance has been under an increasing threat, to the point now where one is beginning to ask it still exists. This threat comes from the commercial sector, in two forms. First, the drive for mass shopping in the West End, and secondly, the expansion of the night time economy, based around “destination” venues for suburban consumers.

The net effect of both these threats has been the increasing homogenisation of the West End. This used to be an area whose primary characteristic was its variety. Sadly, this variety has all but gone. Small, specialist shops, such as florists, fishmongers or butchers, have disappeared. Pubs are declining. Local neighbourhood restaurants are also fast disappearing.  The rents now charged by the property companies can only be afforded by large well-financed organisations. This is how, for example, Richard Caring has been able to buy up whole chunks of Mayfair, to create “destination” venues.

This homogenisation, in my view represents a serious loss to London, and leads to the question that is the title of this article. What is the West End for? Should it be a unique amalgam of differing lifestyles, capable of supporting a mosaic of differing businesses and leisure activities, as it once was, or should it continue to be allowed to become a profit centre for large retail chains, large-scale bars and restaurants, and the property industry, all dedicated to serving the needs of suburban consumers

My clear preference is for the first of these. But unless Westminster Council change tack in their planning and licensing policies, nothing can happen to change the current trend. I fear that it may soon be too late. But I hope I’m wrong.

Do let me know what you think!

26/6/11

Who needs them? Who wants them? How does the West End, and its tax paying residents benefit?

Read how New Yorkers have benefited from free Classical Music concerts, in contrast to the grubby money gathering policies of the Parks Commissioners and Westminster Council.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/arts/music/new-york-philharmonic-summer-parks-tour-was-beloved-ritual.html?emc=eta1

The view of the Church of England from one West End parishioner;

“The Church needs to be more honest with itself,and admit its failings. Having done that it should get out and do some “missionary work” in the West End, explaining how its teachings are relevant to the urban problems which many people now face daily.”

It hides behind its rituals and buildings and has no contact with real people.

It seems the NWEC are lobbying the Leader of Westminster City Council, Colin Barrow, in an attempt to prevent legitimate local residents from forming a Neighbourhood Forum under the Government localism plans. I’m not sure that central government intended Big Business to be the drivers of the Big Society. If you are as incensed as I am on reading the letter from Judith Mahew Jonas, leaked here, perhaps you would like to add your voice to the growing rumble of discontent. Your views and suggestions are welcome.

Skulduggery Afoot! Click here.

The response from Colin Barrow is now available. To me it looks like he’s trying to play for time, waiting to see which the way the wind will blow. But I could be wrong. I’d like to hear what other people make of the Council’s position on the “Localism” issue.

To see the council’s response, click here.