Businesses across London’s West End are bankrolling what is being described as the area’s largest-ever private security operation as concerns over crime risk dampening festive footfall.
The New West End Company (NWE), funded by around 600 retailers, hospitality operators and commercial landlords, is rolling out “Operation West End”, deploying more than 20 uniformed security officers and additional covert teams to patrol the district during the peak trading period.
All officers will have powers to identify and detain suspects until police arrive.
The move follows mounting frustration from retailers and hoteliers who say rising incidents of phone-snatching and pickpocketing have damaged visitor confidence in recent years.
NWE, which already runs a year-round 24/7 security patrol, plans to spend £4 million annually on security over the next five years, with a “significant uplift” in visible presence expected throughout the Christmas season.
Businesses in the district can also report incidents and suspicious behaviour through a dedicated digital crime-reporting portal.
John Dickie, the chief executive of London business lobbyists BusinessLDN, told The Times that perception of crime was “putting people off” the capital, and though “the perception and reality are not quite in line, nor are they wholly dissonan”.
There will also be a number of joint patrols between NWE’s private security, provided by FGH Security, and Metropolitan Police officers, with the Met promising an “Autumn intensification” plan across the area.
Additional funding from City Hall and the Home Office earlier this year will also allow the Met to deploy 80 extra officers into central London.
Dee Corsi, the chief executive of the NWE, told The Times that “the support from the Metropolitan Police Service is key to the success of Operation West End. As the UK’s busiest and most renowned flagship destination, the West End is a unique environment with its own set of challenges.
"Tackling crime here requires a multi-agency approach — no single organisation can solve it alone.”
“That’s why we have welcomed the force’s renewed focus on the district, a step-change we’ve long campaigned for. We’re already seeing encouraging early results, but meaningful change takes time and sustained commitment,” she added.