CAPITAL WATCH

It’s a truism that tourists probably don’t come to London for

the weather. In the most visited city in the world, four out of

five travelers say ‘culture’ is their main reason for their trip.

ondon’s top 20 attractions

account for almost 90 per cent

of visits and account for significant

spend alongside the boutiques

of Bond Street, Oxford Street,

Knightsbridge and Covent Garden

which capture the lion’s share

of dollars and yen. However, the

weekend crowds increasingly heading

to Camden Lock, Brick Lane and

Borough Market suggest that tourists

also have an appetite for more

divergent experiences.

The Mayor is seeking to further

develop London’s rich cultural and

architectural diversity through the

development of ‘quarters’ based

around the city’s built environment

and world leading night-time

economy. In doing so, Sadiq is seeking

to further promote both domestic

and overseas tourism and its £26.3bn

annual contribution to London’s

economy: enhancing an industry

which already employs one in eight

people in the city.

However, it’s a sector under

pressure, with 103 fewer nightclubs

and live music venues than a decade

ago and a fall of 35% in grassroots

music venues. Pubs are estimated

to be in decline at a rate of over 140

per year. There also remains pressure

around the juxtaposing late night

activities with both real and perceived

potential risk for antisocial behaviour

alongside residents and businesses.

The new London Plan which will

go out for consultation this autumn is

forecast to be the most pro-cultural

Plan yet. Planning policies and

decisions are likely to guard against

any unnecessary loss of valued social,

recreational and cultural facilities:

particularly those which meet the

needs of specific groups (e.g. LGBT).

Within central London, the special

characteristics of the West End,

South Bank / Bankside / London

Bridge, Barbican, Wembley, and the

South Kensington Museums / Royal

Albert Hall will be further promoted,

enhanced and protected. Elsewhere,

Councils are being encouraged to

identify cultural quarters which can

be enhanced as visitor attractions;

encouraging a wide range of tourism-

driven activities within town centres

and other places of special interest.

Alongside this, existing day-based

visitor attractions will be supported

to explore extended opening hours

to ‘blend’ the 24-hour city experience

and create crossover between day

and night-time tourism.

The further contribution of these

quarters to both place-making in

the city and as a driver to London’s

economy could be significant. There is

likely to be a minimum of 70 night-

time clusters across the city and future

proposals are likely to represent a

huge opportunity to make London’s

tourist economy and culture an even

richer proposition. However, both

practice and perception needs to be

overcome to create a truly liveable and

importantly, bearable 24-hour city.

With the appointment of Amy

Lamé, as the UK’s first-ever Night

Czar to champion night-time culture

and now just over a year since the

successful introduction of the night

tube, these changes are predicted

to provide a further boost to the

economy and vibrancy of the city –

London is open 24/7!

TOURISM

By Ian Anderson,

Partner,

Development &

Planning

24/7 Tourism

Both

practice and

perception

needs to be

overcome to

create a truly

liveable and

importantly,

bearable

24-hour city

Sadiq is

seeking

to further

promote both

domestic

and overseas

tourism and

its £26.3bn

annual

contribution

to London’s

economy

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

TOURISM