inSW1 Magazine – issue 4

www.inSW1.com

Twinning with DC

A twinning agreement between Victoria BID and Downtown Washington DC brings benefits to business in SW1 P6

In Bloom

Discover Pimlico during the Chelsea Flower Show P14

Thinking Local

How new legislation could impact on SW1 commerce P20

Olympics

Business continuity and the effects of London 2012 P24

Working together to create a destination of choice for business

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Issue-4  |  Spring / Summer-2011

highlights

Editorial © Published by Victoria BID, 8a Lower Belgrave St., London SW1W 0LJ Tel 020 3004 0786 Fax 020 7730 0311

Editor-in-Chief: Ruth Duston Editor: Paul Vater paul.vater@insw1.com Design: www.sugarfreedesign.co.uk Print: Napier Jones Advertising: Sugarfree 020 7619 7430 Photography: Dominick Tyler and Paul Barratt.

Cover image: Jackie Clarke, owner of Pimlico Fresh, on Wilton Road, Pimlico © Dominick Tyler

The Board Mike Noakes (Chairman), Victoria BID Mike has a long association with Victoria, having either worked or travelled through the area for most of his working life.

Trained as a Civil Engineer specialising in the planning and development of major transport infrastructure, he is passionate that major gateways such as Victoria should provide positive support and serve the businesses, residents and visitors who use them for commercial, retail and tourist activity.

Ruth Duston (Chief Executive), Victoria BID George Lynn, Angel Trains Mantej Notay, Boots UK Martin Kelly, Capita Lovejoy Claudia Binkert, EDF Trading Jamie Simons, Experian David Morgan-Hewitt, The Goring Hotel Nigel Hughes, Grosvenor Michael O’Brien, Hesperia London Victoria Antony Smith, House of Fraser Gary Merrick, John Lewis Colette O’Shea, Land Securities Matt Broom, Marks & Spencer Calum Forbes, Microsoft Andrew Williams, Network Rail Paul Green, Sainsbury’s Andrew Mills, Victoria Palace Theatre Ramesh Costa, Victoria Park Plaza Nic Harper, Wetherspoons OBSERVERS Alistair Lawson, British Transport Police Craig Haslam, Metropolitan Police Service Mick Clarke, The Passage John McNultey, TfL Canon Tuckwell, Westminster Cathedral Mike Fairmaner, Westminster City Council

Contributors Kate Simon, Travel Editor, The Independent on Sunday Kate is a top UK travel journalist, with 25 years experience on national newspapers and magazines.

Simone Kane, Freelance travel writer During her 20-year career, Simone has worked for many national consumer titles.

Chris Kilvington, Freelance writer Chris has written on topics from solar panelling to sheds for a variety of organisations, including the NHS, Energy Saving Trust, universities and councils.

Damien Black, Freelance journalist magazine are The opinions expressed in not necessarily those of the Victoria BID. All rights reserved and reproduction without written permission from Victoria BID is strictly prohibited. Although every care is taken of manuscripts, photographs and artwork submitted, neither Sugarfree nor Victoria BID can be held responsible for any loss or damage, however caused.

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Spring arrives in SW1 Who could have missed Victoria and neighbouring St James’s Park and the Mall as the backdrop, to the TV coverage of the Royal Wedding celebrations? One of our partners, The Goring, was home to the Middleton family in preparation for the day of the ceremony.

As predicted the wedding and the resulting media interest has had a beneficial impact on trading figures for SW1 businesses. Footfall figures compiled by Springboard for TfL show a gradual increase in pedestrian traffic throughout the week, with 127,328 people coming into the BID area on the day of the wedding – pedestrian flow was at its greatest in the morning before 11am from Victoria Station down Victoria Street towards Westminster Abbey. Scotland Yard estimates that 500,000+ converged on Buckingham Palace for that balcony kiss.

The Royal Wedding and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, provide fantastic opportunities to showcase Victoria and for SW1 businesses – particularly in the hotel, retail, restaurant and pub trades.

We have been looking into the impact of these events, not only upon the prosperity of local commerce but also upon business continuity. With so many people converging on a location, there are transport infrastructure pressure points and inconveniences caused by congestion, which affect businesses. We take a closer look at those things we should all be thinking about now, in preparing for the next big events of 2012 – The Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – see page 24.

Wilton Road and Warwick Way, in Pimlico is a diverse and eclectic neighbourhood of shops cafés and restaurants. Although only one week in the year, RHS Chelsea Flower Show has an impact on this neighbourhood, we find out what potential there is to harness seasonal traffic like this in order to boost the local economy.

A joint operation on May 13 brought together the British Transport and Metropolitan Police Services for the first time. See page 16 for more about how changes in operations for these forces will make Victoria and the wider SW1 area an even safer location for business or pleasure.

As the Localism Bill progresses through Parliament, we have been investigating the perceived impact of this on business. On page 20, we look at the main concerns and the assurances business will need to make such legislation work.

Finally, we are really excited by the twinning agreement highlighted in this edition. On page 6 we discuss our plan to link up with the Downtown Washington DC BID. Read more about the benefits we think are in store for SW1 businesses by participating in this ground breaking initiative.

Ruth Duston, Chief Executive of Victoria BID

News in Brief CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW GIVES PIMLICO A BOOST This annual event brings more than 150,000 visitors into SW1 and many will be staying at local hotels and making use of the restaurants, cafés and shops in SW1. But it's Pimlico that really reaps the benefits . See pages 12-15 to discover what the area has to offer year round.

DIAMOND HUNT FINALE On 21 April, shortly before the Easter holiday and the Royal Wedding, over100 people raced through the streets of SW1 in search of the answers to cyrptic clues sent via SMS messaging. Winning teams can be viewed online at www. inSW1.com. Thanks are due to our

principal sponsor, The Diamond Store, as well as other companies based in SW1 who donated prizes, including: Fitness First, Philip Treacy, Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace, Wicked the Musical and The Rubens at the Palace. We could not have achieved this without the support and involvement of Cubitt House, Browns of Victoria, Peggy Porschen, Tom Tom Cigars, The Royal Household, William Curley and Hidden City – who ran the event on our behalf. We raised £500 for Cancer Research UK. NEW FACES AT THE BID Zoe Collins is our new Economic Development Officer and will be working to promote and support local business growth in the area. Zoe is promoting business networking events; the Victoria Employment Charter; Sales and Footfall analysis

from newly installed cameras in Victoria; and coordinating volunteering opportunities. If you want to take part contact her on zoe.collins@inSW1.com Rozanne Shipman is working with the BID team on Stakeholder Engagement and will be maintaining and strengthening links with SW1 businesses, especially our BID levy payers . You can contact her on roasanne.shipman@inSW1.com AGM – a note for your diary Please note that the Victoria BID AGM will take place on June 15, kindly hosted by Microsoft.

For more information visit

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NEW ARRIVALS

Thriving times The UK economy may be slow to recover, but there are signs of renewal in SW1. New and refurbished hotels are already welcoming guests, while a major design house has moved in and launched a smart gallery space. Simone kane reports.

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and transformation of this grand dame of the local hotel scene – which had spent a significant period in the doldrums – is thanks to the vision of its new, US-based owner.

It was the Victorian property’s prime position that attracted hotel company Amerimar, which was searching for its first hotel outside the US. “It saw the potential in the hotel, which had been left to die,” says general manager Douglas McHugh.

“The location was key,” says Douglas. “It’s so close to central London, with key tourist sights on its doorstep, and the West End’s theatreland and conference centres within easy reach. It could see the appeal for corporate and leisure travellers. We hope to help put this area – traditionally perceived as a ‘government part of town’ – on the map, to bring it back to life.”

This “Westminster revival” has already seen a gradual upgrading of the area, while the ripple effect of the St Ermin’s Hotel refurbishment is visible too. “This was once an area of greasy caffs,” says Stuart Leckie, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. “Now, a number of retail units that form part of our building have been done up and reopened by more upmarket brands such as Abokado and Starbucks.

“Then there is our restaurant, the Caxton Grill,” says Stuart.

“When it opens at the beginning of Douglas McHugh, general manager (left), and Stuart June, it will have its own entrance Leckie, director of sales and marketing at St Ermin's. and identity” (See page 23.) f anyone needed a further sign that SW1 is thriving, then the launch of two high-end hotels this spring is a sure indication that the face of Victoria is, indeed, continuing to change for the better.

The historic St Ermin’s Hotel – situated on Caxton Street, a minute’s walk from St James’s Park – reopened in mid-April, after a £30-million refurbishment to bring it up to four-star deluxe standard. The rescue

© Dominick Tyler

We want to be active in the local community; to be a supporter of the area and provide facilities 4

LA-based Dayna Lee Partnership has revitalised the Grade II-listed building, entered via a newly landscaped, treefilled courtyard. The interior combines an elegant, contemporary design with sympathetic restoration of features such as the sweeping baroque staircase that dominates the lobby.

The 331 state-of-the-art rooms have been reconfigured to appeal to corporate and leisure travellers – including families – while business-centre booths in the lobby, 15 meeting rooms, and the large lounge, will serve the corporate market well.

“We want to be a neighbourhood hotel, to participate in the community,” says Stuart.

“We’re definitely a place to do business, but this is also a haven of calm – and feels miles away from busy Victoria Street.”

Its proximity to the Houses of Parliament means the hotel was once a meeting place for MPs and St Ermin’s is again attracting the political elite, having upgraded and resited its division bell, which was officially relaunched by Sir Nicholas Soames MP on 17 May. The hotel is also re-establishing its relationship with the black cab community.

“We’ve always been cabbie-friendly, but we want black cab drivers to be our ambassadors,” says Stuart. “So every Thursday in May – and this might continue – we offered free bacon sandwiches, muffins and coffee to drivers, and we let them use our loos.”

But it’s not all about driving business.

St Ermin’s has a three-year commitment to The Prince’s Trust – hosting events, donating money from each room sold, and offering a two-week hospitality course to young people who are out of work.

“We want to be active in the local community; to be a supporter of the area and provide facilities,” says Douglas. “But we

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© Eccleston Square Hotel

© Eleanor Stourton / 1508London

(Above) The five-star guest rooms (top) and reception at the new Eccleston Square Hotel.

(Left) The Great Room at 1508 London in Howick Place.

also want people to know that inside, this is a completely new hotel.”

Just south of Victoria station, in leafy Eccleston Square, another luxury hotel opens its doors on 4 July 2011. Formerly a budget b&b, the new Eccleston Square Hotel has been transformed into a boutique five-star property, thanks to a multi-million-pound investment.

The 39-room, Grade II-listed Eccleston Square Hotel will also be exploiting its prime location to attract leisure visitors as well as business travellers.

At the helm is 23-year-old hotel director Olivia Byrne, a graduate of top hospitality school Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne. “Our biggest value-driver is the technology,” says Olivia. “We are the first hotel in Europe, and the second in the world, to have iPad 2s in all rooms. They control everything – lights, curtains, temperature – as well as offering the ability to book spa treatments, fitness training and to consult our concierge service.”

Guests benefit from Sky 3D, complimentary WiFi and local calls, a free 3D DVD library and steam-free bathroom mirrors with built-in TVs. Wellbeing is also a top priority. “We have invested in the best beds in the world from Hastens,” she says. Retailing at £12,000

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each, the high-tech beds – dressed in allergyfree linen – are electronically adjustable and feature massage programmes that synchronise with lights and music.

Meanwhile, the artistic evolution of SW1 continues to gather pace, with the opening at the beginning of the year of luxury, multidisciplinary design house, 1508 London, in premises at 7 Howick Place.

“Our clientele usually revolves around Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Belgravia,” says co-founder and director Alex De Blonay.

“While it was important for us to be located within easy reach of these places, we also wanted to offer a different experience in a location that has an edge to it.

“We saw the potential of an area in search of a new and dynamic identity. And the extraordinary and unusual volumes of space created at 7 Howick Place, and the mix of illustrious tenants – all active in the best of cultural and design activities – made it an inimitable location for our design studio and

gallery space, The Great Room.”

Launched in May, with an exhibition by acclaimed artist Jessica Zoob, The Great Room welcomed more than 300 people to view the collection of modern impressionist paintings. “Though they were mainly from outside the area,” says Alex, “they were extremely excited to discover, or rediscover, it. We would like to join forces with other creative organisations here and would love to show local artists and craftsmen and expose local residents to some exciting talent.”

As architects, interior designers, space planners and branding specialists, 1508 London also offers its expertise to developers and investors who are looking for projects in this up-and-coming area of London.

“We’ve just been introduced to the Victoria BID,” says Alex, “which is doing an unbelievable job for the area, and we’re looking forward to actively participating.”

Watch this space…

For more information about hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs in the SW1 area, including Victoria, Pimlico and Belgravia, please visit our website.

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TRANSATLANTIC LINKS

© Dominick Tyler

Victoria forges historic link with Washington DC

A twinning agreement between Victoria BID and Washington’s Downtown DC BID in the US is a world first. Chris Kilvington speaks to Nigel Hughes of Grosvenor and Vice-Chairman of the BID about the benefits of twinning for business in SW1.

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t’s probably fair to say that most of us know about twinning between towns and cities in different countries. According to records, the first of these relationships came about in 1930 between Wiesbaden in Germany and Klagenfurt, Austria. It wasn’t until after World War II, though, that the practice became more popular. Twinning developed as a way of creating friendship ties and understanding between the European countries affected by war. It then spread to

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other continents and, in 1944, Vancouver agreed the first transatlantic link with Odessa in the Ukraine.

Business improvement districts (BIDs) started out in Toronto, Canada, in 1970. Since then, they too have spread around the globe, but, to date, no two BIDs have established a twinning agreement across national borders.

It makes Victoria’s new partnership with Downtown DC BID in Washington, USA, an exciting first-of-a-kind.

Similar to twinning of towns and cities, the agreement aims to broaden mutual understanding and develop beneficial ties between the districts. The two BID teams hope to create circumstances in which ideas are exchanged, information of common cultural, community and commercial interest is shared, and knowledge can be enhanced in areas like business development, security, employment, migration and the environment.

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

(Opposite) Nigel Hughes in London's Grosvenor Square, with the American Embassy in the background.

The Victoria BID team considered partners across the US, and Downtown DC was identified as having a comparable business mix and geographical make up.

“Fifty to 60 per cent of Downtown DC’s workforce is government-based, so one big similarity is the number of of government offices,” says Grosvenor’s Planning and Environment Director, Nigel Hughes. “Also, like Victoria, the district has many tourists because it’s home to sites such as the White House and Capitol Hill. Downtown DC isn’t a big retail destination at the moment, but that’s coming, as is residential property.”

Nigel visted the Downtown DC BID team while in Washington recently (Grosvenor has an office on Pennsylvania Avenue) and says his first impressions of the district were very positive. “We travelled there by subway and when we came up to street level we were greeted by one of their SAMs – Safety Hospitality and Maintenance Employees, their version of our street ambassadors. I thought we should test them out, so I asked what I should be going to see if I had time to spare, and later on I approached another SAM to ask where I’d buy a present for my 10-year-old son. Downtown DC isn’t really a shopping district at the moment, so the second question was more difficult, but the answer was only a walkie-talkie call away. Dressed in red bomber jackets and baseball caps, the SAMs are visible, helpful and responsive.”

The two BID teams hope to create circumstances in which ideas are exchanged, information is shared of common cultural, community and commercial interest, and knowledge can be enhanced in areas such as business development, security, employment, migration and the environment.

Downtown DC is a well-established BID that has been live for 15 years. It spans a 138-block area and provides $5 million annually in street services. The principal difference with how improvement districts run in the US is that the BID levy is applied to landlords rather than occupiers of buildings.

Around 825 levy-paying properties are located in the Downtown DC district and they generate an income of $10m.

“The BID team has managed to sustain long-term support from its members, the property owners, which is an achievement,” says Nigel. “Over there, it’s probably more the case that they don’t spend money if members don’t see a clear return, so the BID team does a lot of research on how it’s performing in terms of GDP, rental values and other financial and social metrics. They’re very accountable about where their money goes and how the improvement district is having an impact and adding value.”

According to Nigel, the level of communication between the Washington DC BID team and its members is another strength. “There was a recent debate in the city that could have been detrimental to the improvement district. The BID team only heard about the debate 12 hours before it

was due to happen, but via Twitter and other social media they were able to mobilise members to lobby politicians at that meeting, even in a short space of time. The members sent more than 1,000 emails and texts and, as a result, the City didn’t take the decision. It’s an example of how businesses there have been able to create significant lobbying powers through their BID.” With Downtown DC BID being so much longer-established than Victoria BID, Nigel believes the relationship will be a particular advantage on home soil. “Considering we’re only a year old, it’s fair to say the Victoria BID team and its members probably have more to gain from Downtown DC. At the meeting, though, they seemed genuinely interested in what we were doing. We have the green infrastructure audit. We share social issues such as homelessness. And, like our Victoria Transport Interchange, they have a huge building development just starting in their district, which brings up similar questions about how to manage such projects while keeping business moving.”

You can find out more about the Washington Downtown DC BID at www.downtowndc.org.

© Sugarfree

(Above) Cardinal Place, seen from the station looking eastwards up Victoria Street towards Parliament Square.

For more information about our plans for the twinning of Downtown Washington DC and Victoria BIDs, please visit our website.

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© Dominick Tyler

INTERVIEW

The art of transformation KAte Simon asks James Leech of Land Securities and Claudia Blinkert of EDF Trading to give their impressions about the work of the BID as it enters the second year of operation and looks to its future challenges.

What makes the BID such a great place to carry out business?

Claudia: The new infrastructure. Before, Victoria was a bit unatttractive, it wasn’t a good area. But now the new developments – shops, restaurants and modern offices – are attracting more businesses here. We’re so close to everything – the sights, the shops, the parks.

People are like, oh yeah, let’s go to the park and have lunch there, then do some quick shopping.

In the summer, in the little area that we call the Winter Garden, you can’t find a free space to have lunch – it’s the same if you go to St James’s Park. And we have staff who like to go running in the parks, too.

James: Victoria has got everything you could want. More people who work here are staying on in the evening now. The dynamics of the people who work within the types of developments and estates here mean they tend to work longer hours, so they stay to use the restaurants, go on to the theatre. Victoria offers lots of positive benefits now.

How long have you worked in Victoria and what has been the most significant change in that time?

Claudia: EDF Trading has been here for about three years. I think Cardinal Place has transformed the area, and the development that is coming into place will further transform it beyond recognition, which will do a lot for the area.

James: I’ve worked in Victoria for Land Securities for three years, though it’s an area I visited in the past. You can see the changes taking place: the work my company is doing redeveloping new areas – there’s a

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huge amount of investment going in – you’re starting to see that now. I think the area has changed dramatically over the past five years. The development of Cardinal Place was a major step forward for the businesses here. It attracted some of the biggest-profile names – EDF, Microsoft – these are huge names that have invested a lot to come here.

We’ve also seen slightly more of a decline in the government bodies in the area.

What do you think Victoria BID’s biggest challenges will be and what changes would you like to see it achieve?

Claudia: The BID must establish itself, make itself known. There are still a lot of people who don’t know that it exists. The BID has already started undertaking various initiatives, such as the work around the environment to make the area greener. Yet, still, a lot of people working here don’t know of it, even though the website has picked up.

The residents have been here much longer than we have. They have had a relatively quiet life because this is a nice, respectful area. On one hand, they want to keep it peaceful, but on the other hand, Victoria needs to be revived. Dialogue is going on between the BID and the residents, but it’s something that has to build slowly – we have to find a middle way that suits everyone.

James: The BID is making progress in starting to engage with different types of people. There’s such a broad range, from residents to local businesses. As Claudia says, there are the new initiatives – certainly the policing initiative has been a remarkable success. We’re starting to see things grow.

The businesses that we have on this estate have amazing levels of expertise, and trying to tap into them and use their abilities and skills is where the BID will succeed, because it will grow and grow. So far, the BID has tapped into some amazing people. Claudia is on the board: it’s people like her and the other business-interest groups that we’ve got and that we want on the board. And the sub-committee work, which I know a number of our customers on the estate are part of – that will drive through these kinds of initiatives. People are willing to give up their time. If you engage with the right stakeholders, that’s the key – you must have

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the right people on board. But the BID must continually re-look at the way it’s branding itself, the way it’s trying to grow into something, because the dynamics of this area seem to change all the time.

What is the best business lesson you have ever learnt?

James: For me, it’s about constant learning, constant engagement. I attend lots and lots of meetings and I get very frustrated when I see people there not motivated, not driven. I’m still driven, I’m driven even harder now than when I was in my twenties and thirties. For me, it’s about trying to engage with everyone.

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Cardinal Place has transformed the area, and the development that is coming into place will further transform it beyond recognition, which will do a lot for the area.

Claudia: Listen to people, communicate, and see what’s going on around you. In this world that we live in, with smart phones, email, texting and so on, people do not communicate. It’s quite shocking that we’ve got all this technology and we’re actually losing the ability to communicate. It makes a big difference if you talk to someone directly rather than quickly write an email – it’s just not the same.

What’s been your most important business success?

Claudia: My role change to head up global facilities – taking on much more responsibility.

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INTERVIEW

The dynamics of the people who work within the types of developments and estates here mean they tend to work longer hours, so they stay to use the restaurants, go on to the theatre.

© Dominick Tyler

We have quite a few subsidiaries, small and bigger ones, around the world. It’s a very interesting job, with lots to learn.

James: I have to say, I’m involved with so many exciting projects and developments.

But I get a great deal more from working with the local community: whether it’s visiting a school or trying to drive a community event within the facilities we’ve got on the estate.

Claudia: At EDF Trading, we raise a lot of money for various charities, and we support the local school just behind us, where we do university sponsorship. It’s great when a company can do this for the local community because it makes such a difference – to a school like that, where you have a lot of kids who otherwise would probably never consider university.

quite finished – so we had to try to iron out some of those problems. We both have a great love of food; we are very intrigued by it. It’s easy to have a meeting in an office, but then you’re surrounded by other issues.

For us, it’s sometimes easier to have those discussions in a restaurant and follow up with a meal. It’s good to have lunch with Claudia because we get the business over and done with and then we talk about food.

It’s a great hobby and Claudia has made cakes for the team – her carrot cake is exceptional.

Engaging with the stakeholders – my company deals with all different business interests – is what makes my job exciting.

Claudia and I are from commercially run businesses. We know what our goals are, what objectives we’ve got. It’s about making sure we reach the goals, meet the objectives and then we move onto something new.

James: Land Securities is involved in lots of corporate initiatives, too. We probably don’t promote ourselves as well in those sorts of things because we’re a large property company and we have to be quite careful about our image. But behind the scenes we do a fantastic amount of work. And the team at Victoria, specifically, does a lot of community work. We never have a problem with getting people who want to join in.

I suppose that’s the corporate lifestyle, whereby we have a series of targets and we try to exceed them.

Claudia: EDF trading is a very fast-growing company – what was a small company has become a leading European energy trading company within 10 years. So, we constantly have to progress and constantly have to see what’s going on because we’re moving so fast.

How do you work together as landlord and stakeholder?

Claudia: I agree with that. Essentially, you have to work together.

James: Well, Claudia and I didn’t meet under good circumstances, actually! My first meeting with her was an interesting one. We had all the issues of a brand new development – lots of things that weren’t

James: Also, don’t be afraid to take a risk.

And learn from your mistakes. Often people don’t think about lessons learned, how did it work – people should spend more time

What is your motto in life?

James: If things are to be done, they should be done well. I consider myself and my team to be winners – I like to encourage people to get the best from themselves and really strive to be very successful.

on that, analyse what was really successful and don’t accept it as the norm. There’s still too much of the “It’s been done like this for years” attitude.

What do you prefer, tie or opennecked shirt?

Claudia: We are a trading environment, so it’s not totally formal – people are expected to dress business-like. On a Friday we have “dress down”, as many companies do, but with certain restrictions – no jeans with holes. It’s important that people are businesslike and professional. I think it makes a very bad impression if you have a guest visiting and you wear an open-neck shirt. It’s just not right. There’s a time for everything, so there’s a dress code for everything.

James: We don’t have “dress down Friday”.

We are encouraged to dress in keeping with the environment we’re in. So, if I know I’m going to meet certain clients who have a more casual, relaxed vibe, I will dress more casually and relaxed to feel more part of it. But there are days when I’m on a construction site in high-vis and hard hat and that’s appropriate for the task.

How do you want to be remembered?

Claudia: As being approachable, being professional.

James: Trusted and respected. Both go hand in hand. When you engage with a person for the first time, you’ve got to try to break down the barriers that always exist. And then gain trust. By gaining a person’s trust, you ultimately gain their respect. We try to use that in the wholeteam ethos – seek the trust and then the respect will follow.

You can read more about the outlook of business leaders in the SW1 area by visiting our website and looking up "Business Voices".

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

© Project Blue

Chelsea Barracks plan reaches D-Day A Westminster Council meeting, set for June, will decide the next chapter in the development of the former Chelsea Barracks site on Chelsea Bridge Road.

Chris Kilvington finds out more.

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fter the original plans for the former Chelsea Barracks site were scrapped in 2009, real estate investment company Qatari Diar appointed three new masterplanners – Squires and Partners, Dixon Jones and Kim Wilkie Associates – to the project. A concept masterplan was developed in April last year, with extensive input from the local community, followed by a draft masterplan in June, which was submitted to Westminster Council in December.

The masterplan details the outline and terms of the buildings, covering elements such as their height and size, as well as landscaping for the site and a design code to guide future architects. In the submission, the 13-acre area incorporates 363 houses and flats, shops, a boutique hotel, a sports centre, healthcare facilities and an underground car park. The existing 15-storey twin tower blocks that formed part of the barrack facilities would be demolished, and the former Garrison Chapel, which recently achieved official listing status, would be adapted to create a multi-purpose

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community and cultural centre. The area is knitted together by 4.8 acres of public squares, streets and green space. In fact, the new public garden squares would be among the first to have been developed in Central London for more than a century.

“The plans have actually been altered slightly in the past few weeks,” says Eben Black of legal service provider DLA Piper.

“The major change is that we’ve removed the proposal for the hotel, which was going to sit on the corner of Chelsea Bridge Road and Pimlico Road. No one could agree for or against the hotel, so it has been removed.

Also, the number of residential units has risen, from 363 to 448.”

“One of the key things about this masterplan is that it focuses on reconnecting the land back into the local area,” he continues. “Rather than glass towers, we wanted to create something that fits seamlessly with the surrounding area, and I think that makes it different to the original concept. There have been 18 months of consultation and thousands of people

involved, so we really have worked hand in hand with the community.”

One potential obstacle to agreement has been the ratio of affordable housing on the site. “We’ve accounted for 123 social units,” says Eben, “but we’ve also made a proposal to help finance additional social housing provision in the borough. Unfortunately, the only other option would have been to build higher or more densely on site.”

If the council gives its consent in June, development will progress in phases.

Architectural designs are to be detailed in separate applications, but the design code in the masterplan is already in place to guide future developments and ensure the plan’s overall vision is achieved.

Find out more about the Chelsea Barracks development at www.chelseabarracks.net

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www.inSW1.com

Your Passport to Pimlico Just as Victoria recovers from the buzz of the Royal Wedding, the RHS Royal Chelsea Flower Show comes to town. Kate Simon looks at the impact of this big event and discovers Pimlico in bloom.

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he RHS Royal Chelsea Flower Show has been taking place in some form since 1862. The annual five-day event welcomes a staggering 157,000 visitors each year to the 11-acre site in the grounds of the nearby Royal Hospital, Chelsea. From 24-28 May, it will be the place to spot the hottest gardening trends – and catch a glimpse of Alan Titchmarsh and all the other green-fingered celebrities who descend on the Flower Show to offer bloom-by-bloom television coverage.

For many lucky ticket-holders from out of town, Pimlico is the place that they call home for the duration. Just around the corner from Victoria Station, a short distance from the showground (and the Chelsea Physic Garden, another favourite

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PIMLICO

horticultural attraction), this pretty enclave of garden squares and terraces, filled with magnificent examples of Regency architecture – including some of the finest work of Thomas Cubitt – is an enviable base.

For not only is Pimlico easy on the eye, and well-situated – bounded by Buckingham Palace Road to the west, Vauxhall Bridge Road to the east, and the River Thames to the south – it also has the appeal of a village. Visitors enjoy a local vibe, mingling with the residents and workforce on the shopping thoroughfare, Wilton Road, and the surrounding streets, where nationwide chains, independent boutiques and the Tachbrook Street Market are complemented by a comprehensive choice of top-quality hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars.

Pimlico’s central location means that most hotels in the area are busy year-round and few feel the need to offer incentives to guests at this time. But the Chelsea Flower Show undoubtedly adds significant pressure for hotel rooms. Ramesh Costa, general manager of the Park Plaza Hotel, on Vauxhall Bridge Road, is very aware of the importance of its effect on overall business at his large, international property.

“Events such as the Chelsea Flower Show increase demand,” he confirms. He credits the convenient shuttle buses that run between Victoria Station and the showground as “having a positive impact on

the area”, helping make it a credible base for visitors to the Flower Show and bringing in vital custom.

Rahim Jivraj, a manager at the Best Western Victoria Palace on Warwick Way, says his hotel feels a direct benefit from the event. “Being a small hotel, so centrally located, we’re busy all the time, but the Chelsea Flower Show helps. We get quite a few people staying for the show. Most of our guests are from the UK, from outside London.”

In fact, Rahim cautions that the proximity of the area to the showground means that potential guests need to snap up rooms here early. “We get booked up two to three months in advance,” he says.

But it’s not only hoteliers that look forward to welcoming the annual influx of visitors. At Turkish restaurant Kazan, on Wilton Road, the Chelsea Flower Show is definitely good for business.

Ozgur Paze, the restaurant’s manager, says: “This is a very lively time in the area and it has a big effect on our business. We get very busy throughout the day – we serve from breakfast through to dinner and we notice many more people come into the restaurant when the Chelsea Flower Show is on.”

Kazan is serving its usual menu during the Chelsea Flower Show. But along the road at Patisserie Valerie, they’ve been putting special plans in place for the event. Manager

Pimlico is easy on the eye… and has the appeal of a village . Visitors enjoy a local vibe, mingling with the residents and workforce on the shopping thoroughfare Wilton Way.

Jefferson Lemos and his staff are excited about their first Chelsea Flower Show – the shop has been open for less than a year.

At time of going to press, the team was preparing leaflets about special offers, for distribution around Victoria Station before and during the Flower Show.

One plan included whipping up some new, specially decorated cup cakes. “We will do ‘treat boxes’, too,” says Jefferson. “We have five selections – customers can buy two, four, six, eight or 10 slices, from whichever cakes or tarts they like. And we will offer this at 20% off the normal price – they will cost from £5 for two slices to £19 for 10.”

Patisserie Valerie also plans to serve a traditional high tea for when the Chelsea Flower Show closes each day, including scones with jam and clotted cream.

The cafe Pimlico Fresh on Wilton Road also takes a pro-active approach. Owner Jackie Clarke confirms that they offer picnic boxes for the duration of the Show which prove very popular.

“We write a couple of choices up on the wall. They include things like a bottle of juice, a sandwich or focaccia, or perhaps a piece of quiche and some salad, and a cake or brownie. But, really, people can choose what they fancy.”

Jackie enjoys the change of atmosphere in Pimlico when the Flower Show is on.

“It’s buzzy, there’s a springtime feel – you see a lot more ladies in the area.” She adds a special touch to her shop by commissioning a floral display to mark the event, prepared by neighbouring florists, The Olive Branch.

Richard Leeming, owner of The Olive Branch, takes a similarly active approach.

“Chelsea is very important to us because it stimulates people into gardening and

© Dominick Tyler

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

© Paul Barratt / Sugarfree

therefore they purchase goods from us,” he says. Richard confirms that most of this extra custom comes from the residents.

“People suddenly realise they’ve got a grubby window box and they start getting a little bit competitive. All the conversation becomes plant-minded – there’s a bit of a plant frenzy,” he adds.

Chelsea Flower Show is a busy time for The Olive Branch’s contract work. “We zhush up the weekly floral displays we do for shops and hotels in the area, to get in the spirit of it. And we do special stuff, too – such as window boxes for the local pub, the Marquis of Westminster,” he says.

For customers to his shop, Richard offered multi-buy discounts – 10% off if you bought more than £25 of plants.

Other businesses also report a local ripple effect from the show. At Snappy Snaps Pimlico, along Warwick Way, owner Geoffrey Phillips says that his shop sees sales from residents pick up. “We get a lot of locals coming in to develop their photos.

So we do get a small percentage of extra business from it.”

There’s no doubt the Chelsea Flower Show offers a great opportunity for this charming pocket of central London. As Richard Leeming of The Olive Branch concludes: “It’s a local event, we should all get involved.”

The Chelsea Flower Show offers a great opportunity for this charming pocket of central London

For more information about places to visit in Pimlico, please visit our website.

(Above) Richard Leeming, owner of The Olive Branch on Warwick Way. (From left to right) Pimlico Fresh on Wilton Road; Dovers flower shop on Churton Street; The Clarendon gastropub on Cambridge Street; a view into Warwick Square garden; and painted stucco facades in Pimlico.

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safe & secure

© Paul Barratt / Sugarfree

Inspector Simon Trotter of the Britsh Transport Police (left) meets with Chief Inspector Craig Haslam of the Metropolitan Police Service outside Victoria Station.

A deeper blue

Criminals beware – the British Transport Police and Met have pooled their resources and are working together to fight crime across Westminster. Damien Black talks to four officers from both forces who are at the heart of this new drive to create a safer environment for residents, passengers and businesses in Victoria.

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rive down crime, arrest the perpetrators, and make the public feel safe. That, in a nutshell, sums up British Transport Police (BTP) Superintendant Alistair Lawson’s mission in life. As head of transport policing in the London South area, including Victoria, it is his responsibility to make sure that thousands of passengers have a safe journey from door to door every day. “It’s what I would call the ‘whole journey experience’,” he explains. “We take people from their home address, into the VBID district, and back home safely.”

This commitment is shared by Lawson’s two BTP colleagues – Chief Inspector Matt Wratten and Inspector Simon Trotter – but it is increasingly becoming the concern of Chief Inspector Craig Haslam of the Metropolitan Police, too. As part of a drive to improve co-operation between historically distinct police forces, the BTP and Met have been working more closely for the last year to keep

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Victoria’s streets, businesses and stations safe from crime.

To cement this co-operation, the BTP Victoria Hub Team – headed by Chief Inspector Wratten and Inspector Trotter and comprising more than a dozen community support officers and 10 constables – was joined in April by a police sergeant and another six constables from the Met. This combined force is now co-operating from new headquarters in Hudson’s Place, and in May a joint operation to inaugurate the team saw both forces pounding the SW1 beat together.

“We were trying to get away from that jurisdictional constraint that sometimes occurred,” says Chief Inspector Wratten.

“We set this strategy to make sure that all areas and Underground mainlines are policed daily, with the emphasis on high visibility.

We’ve got points of contact, people know who they come to – they get the same people seven days a week. Now if you take that concept

and you bring the Met in, what we’ve done is expanded the footprint from there to include the coach station and various other roads within the Metropolitan Police district, closley following the BID boundary itself.”

And, in what is increasingly being dubbed the ‘age of austerity’, it seems necessity has once again proved to be the mother of invention. “Every police service has to make the most of the resources available to it in the current climate,” says Chief Inspector Haslam.

“Working together avoids duplication of effort if the BTP is planning a similar operation to ourselves. Joint working in one location lets us support them with our resources when they’ve got a specific issue, and vice versa. So it’s moved away from a line in the sand between the BTP and the Met – we’ve overcome those barriers and got into common-sense, practical policing where we are able to work with each other to deal with all the issues.”

“It breaks down barriers between people

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© Paul Barratt / Sugarfree

who work for different organisations,” adds Wrattan, explaining that traditionally there was what he describes as ‘scepticism’ between different forces. This led to department-specific goals being prioritised instead of all police focusing on the big picture and co-operating to fight crime – but thanks to the new initiative all that is now changing.

“There are common objectives being set within the Met and BTP,” says Wrattan, “and all this is in compliance with TfL’s vision for the way the Hub is policed. We’ve got a lot of people around the table that really want to do the job for the best interests of the travelling public – the railway community, the bus and taxi drivers, tourists, and the extended community that live around the SW1 postcode.”

The VBID has played a key role in funding the initiative, and in November last year Wrattan and Trotter put together a proposal for financing to help them police Victoria better. “The build-up to Christmas is generally a busy period if you look at antisocial behaviour and violence,” explains Trotter. “With the amount of people you have coming through Victoria station in that period, you tend to find that crime will rise.

So we looked at what historically were our issues, at targets we had to achieve, and we approached VBID with a business plan to finance an operation.”

The VBID gave the BTP £20,000, which was spent on targeting hotspots such as coffee shops, pubs and restaurants, and handing out leaflets and cards alerting the public to the threat of theft and other complementary material. The latter could be quite creative. “We had things like bells you could attach to your mobile phone [to deter theft with noise],” says Trotter. “The feedback we had from these was tremendous.” The VBID has recently approved another £15,000 in funding, this time for targeting bars and clubs in the area that are hotspots for disorderly behaviour.

The VBID has also devoted considerable resources to helping the Met. June 2011 sees the official launch of the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), under which 15 security guards are given limited powers to help policing in and around a clearly defined zone covering parts of the BID area. Haslam explains that this pilot scheme will be reviewed in a year’s time. “If it proves successful and they have brought something to the table in terms of reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and making people feel safer in Victoria, we will look at expanding it,” he says.

(Clockwise from left) TfL Revenue Officers ready to carry out seearches of incoming buses; Community Support officers; dog handler;

The CSAS is based on the older BTP-affiliated Railway Safety Accreditation Scheme, which has nearly 300 officers after taking on 60 new recruits last year. Again, rather than jealously guarding their respective beats, the Met and BTP say they are glad of the extra help. “I’m a massive fan of the extended police family,” says Wrattan. “I see them as bringing added value – they’re another set of eyes and ears.”

Another crime-fighting scheme being driven by the VBID is Facewatch, which uses internally placed cameras to help catch thieves in the Westminster area. Although CCTV is nothing new, Haslam explains that previously its use was typically limited to outdoor environments. But now local business leaders have begun installing cameras inside shops and other retail outlets at their own expense, allowing for a more streamlined approach to tackling crime.

“Facewatch helps to identify offenders and allows us to give a better quality of

service to victims of crime,” explains Haslam. “They are immediately put into contact with a police officer who will pick up the image of the suspect.” This is then circulated to a large number of people in the area, which allows early identification and arrest. “It really does bring all elements of the justice system together very quickly,” says Haslam. “We had one occasion where an offender stole a bag and within 48 hours of the offence taking place there was a conviction.”

Haslam adds that the Met is planning to extend Facewatch to Victoria Coach Station, which he says is a notorious hotspot for thefts. People arriving in the UK find themselves in an unfamiliar environment and often leave personal belongings unattended whilst trying to orientate themselves. This can present an easy target for opportunistic criminals.

Unsurprisingly, reducing crime in the SW1 area is a major goal for both forces.

The BTP set a reduction target for theft of passenger property of 5% between November last year and March. “We achieved 16%, far in advance of what we’d expected,” says Trotter.“And over the period that we ran the operation we had a reduction of 44% overall crime.” The Met’s figures are less dramatic – a 1.5% reduction of street crime since

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2009-10 – but Haslam hopes to repeat this result year-on-year in what he describes as a “gradual erosion” of crime in the area. “It’s all part of our plan to make people feel safer in Westminster, and giving a clear message to offenders that we will take robust and decisive action to deal with criminality,” he adds. “By doing that we aim to build public confidence in us – rather than going for a big one-off operation, it’s a concerted continual effort to have that long-term approach to make Victoria safe and secure.”

The BTP and Met rely on a high-tech system called Radio Link to communicate.

The BID has funded the introduction of 120 radio link handsets for use in Victoria. “This covers the whole Westminster borough but for our area it means specific locations identified inside the station,” says Trotter, adding that shopkeepers inside Victoria Train Station have also been issued with radios, along with London Underground and Network Rail staff. Based on the Shopwatch scheme used in shopping centres across the country, Radio Link allows shop attendants who spot someone acting suspiciously to call in a description of shoplifting suspects to everyone else in the area, forewarning shopkeepers and alerting police.

Co-operation between both forces is underpinned by what Wrattan calls “intelligence-led policing”. “Every day we hold a conference to identify emerging crime trends,” he says. At monthly meetings beat officers review their profiling of target areas and assess new developments. However, Wrattan points out that things can change overnight if need be. “If we had a problem emerge of robbery down a particular line or route, we would change our strategy to target that,” he clarifies. “Because the last thing we want is loads of offences happening and then only doing something about it two weeks later. We need to be dynamic.”

“Officers are given specific tasks,” adds Trotter. “We don’t just put a yellow jacket on, go to the front door and say: ‘Hmm... do I go left or right now?’” Based on the intelligence presented at the daily meetings and monthly and quarterly reviews, beat officers will be assigned to specific locations at certain times: for example, Marks & Spencer between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, when it is deemed to be a prime target for shoplifting.

This job-profiling approach is also used to target suspects. “In the past few days there were a few thefts in the shopping centre,” says Trotter. By looking at the data, the Met and BTP could identify the culprits and begin

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© Paul Barratt / Sugarfree

SAFE & SECURE

Community policing played a big part of the operation, here officers hand out literature on crime prevention.

tracking their movements. “We identified which trains or platforms they were coming in on,” says Trotter. “I also linked in with the Met on a daily basis – they completed plainclothes operations in the area while we took care of visibility and [public] reassurance.”

Achieving the last is very important to both forces. “What we want to do is reach out to the wider community who read InSW1 magazine,” says Wrattan. “Invite them along to our monthly police and community meetings to have a wider representation – because it gives a more holistic perspective on where we’re going. Some of our problemsolving plans are based on the needs of the Underground and train companies – as police officers, we’re guardians of the public and it’s important that we reflect the needs of our community and concerns around its vulnerability. We are working towards plans to make everyone feel safer.”

“Everyone within BTP and the Met knows what the other is doing and what operations we’re running on particular days,” says Haslam. “As well as being involved in those operations, it means people know where the main hotspots are.” This allows patrols to focus on offenders in specific areas and to share intelligence and target police assets more effectively on known criminals in the area. The Met and BTP are confident that by pooling resources they are winning the war on crime. “There are fewer victims and people are safer,” says Lawson. “Policing is effective, energetic – and working.”

May 13 at Victoria Station (3pm to 9pm): Over forty uniformed and plain clothes officers, as well as neighbourhood and business teams from the British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police Services, took part in this joint operation - the first of its kind in the country.

Victoria BID has funded this new working arrangement as part of its commitment to a safe and more secure Victoria. Various parts of the police service were present including: Constables and PCSO’s from the Victoria safer neighbourhoods and business teams; motorcycle officers; dog handling officers; TfL Revenue Officers; vehicle surveillance; British Transport Police constables and CSAS accredited personnel (Community Safety Accreditation Scheme); Police cyclists; UK Border Agency officers and mounted police. 20 arrests were made on the day.

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charity focus

Permanent Vocations Victoria BID and investment company 3i have agreed funding for a project worker with The Passage. Chris Kilvington speaks to Matt Walters about his role helping people move from the street and into employment. att works with the Education, Training and Employment (ETE) team, part of the Financial Inclusion Department at The Passage Day Centre in St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place. The charity is tasked with sourcing funding for all full-time posts in the team, and the current agreement with Victoria BID will support the position for at least two years in 2011/12 which is matched by 3i for year one.

The ethos at The Passage is to address the root causes that lead to a person’s homelessness, giving them a ‘hand up’ rather than a ‘hand out’ to break the cycle. In keeping with this philosophy, the ETE team works with people to equip them with the skills and opportunities that help them achieve greater long-term economic independence.

There is a wide range of support, including employment and education guidance, literacy, life skills, computer skills, mentoring, and financial inclusion, which focuses on access to sustainable financial services.

“We start the process with a fairly extensive induction,” says Matt. “It covers their previous work, where they’ve been and where they want to be. We draw up an action plan, which they are actively involved in so they take ownership. Then, two weeks after our first meeting, we do a review to make sure the plan fits. It’s a living document that develops along with the person.”

Matt adds: “Everything is bespoke because everyone is different. Homelessness is something people share here, of course, but even the experience of homelessness can be so different from person to person... it’s more about assessing the client’s relationship to employment and their training needs to get them into work. Work readiness is key because it’s a crucial element in setting out the next steps.” The results speak for themselves, too. Last year alone, around 70 jobs were found for clients.

“There are two key skills we concentrate on. First, they need to be able to communi-

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©Gillian Burke / The Passage

M

Matt Walters (in the foreground) works alongisde one of his clients in the IT department at The Passage.

cate with a prospective employer, which, as well as literacy and conversational skills, might involve opening an email account and developing their CV to make sure it reflects them well. Second, some clients don’t have the skills they need in IT, searching for jobs on the internet or filling in job applications.

Whatever we do, we aim to make people more independent than when they came in.

“We have a really strong team of volunteers who can help people with all these things. They include homemakers, company directors, retired people, people between jobs, college professors, teachers, and we even have a commercial radio DJ – there’s every conceivable type of person. We have a new person starting who specialises in recruitment and someone in banking who is helping people to open accounts.”

The Passage also has good relationships with complementary organisations and businesses that can help clients move on, including the Migrants’ Resource Centre, just off Vauxhall Bridge Road, Jobcentre Plus, City and Westminster College (who provide IT classes and Lifeskills training) and Barclays, who have funded the charity’s mentoring project for many years.

According to Matt, the job outcomes at

The Passage are as varied as the people he sees day to day. Recent placements include a street cleaner, an IT expert for a big City company, a legal expert and a landscape gardener.

When asked about his own job and whether he likes it, Matt says: “I’ve always found it amazing to work here. I’ve worked with homeless people since the age of 19. I’m proud of what we do. The ETE department offers a space for people to identify where they are and to move on. We’re in an enviable position because the work we do is all about taking positive steps and thinking positively.”

You can find out more about The Passage at www.passage.org.uk. Donate towards the work of The Passage where you see the Diverted Giving signs in Victoria. To date, more than £2,000 has been contributed.

More about volunteering and the Victoria Employment Charter at:

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LOCALISM BILL

Thinking Local...

Legislation being debated in the House of Commons could significantly change daily life in Victoria by empowering citizens to take more of an active role in the running of public services and businesses in their neighbourhood. Damien Black investigates the impact this new law could have on business in SW1.

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he Localism Bill is a key part of the Coalition Government’s Big Society agenda, and is being promoted as a way to encourage more people to get involved in their communities and contribute to privatesector growth.

However, because some clauses in the bill currently appear to favour residents over businesses – for instance, it would give the former the power to veto planning and development proposals – it has drawn criticism from certain sectors in the business community. The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has warned that it could allow ‘nimbyism’ to stifle business innovation. But what do other business groups make of it and what would the new laws actually mean for people living in Victoria?

The bill – which has yet to go before the House of Lords and is still a work in progress – aims to devolve greater powers to councils, local neighbourhoods and community groups. If approved, the new laws would give local authorities the same powers as an individual generally has – in other words, it would enable them to do anything not specifically prohibited by law. This would allow them to run services free of Whitehall constraints and give them confidence in their legal capacity to act on behalf of their communities to save money and make services more efficient.

This would leave Westminster City

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Council freer to innovate and work with organisations in SW1 to drive down costs – an all-important factor in the present age of austerity – giving residents the opportunity to bid for local assets such as libraries, pubs and shops. To further boost this effort to make local economies more entrepreneurial and encourage established businesses to get involved, the bill proposes that councils grant business rate discounts and make small business tax breaks more accessible.

However, the British Property Federation (BPF) has echoed some of the BCC’s concerns that existing businesses may in fact be shut out of the bill because it gives residents priority in approving developments, and has been in talks with the Government to try to rectify this.

BPF spokeswoman Gislaine Trehearne is cautiously optimistic that these issues will be resolved by the time the bill is made law.

“I think localism can be a good thing but it has to be accepted that businesses – employees and employers – are part of the community, as well as the residents,” she says. “That’s the key point that the Localism Bill doesn’t recognise, but in our conversations with officials and ministers that appears to be changing somewhat.”

The Confederation of British Industry agrees with the principle of devolving greater powers to local communities, as long as this does not impede the private sector. Its regional director Sara Parker says:

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

The bill aims to devolve greater powers to councils… This would leave Westminster City Council freer to innovate and work with organisations in SW1 to drive down costs. © Dominick Tyler

The Localism Bill proposes that planning consent for the kind of redevelopment currently underway along Victoria Street, is the type of power that should be devolved down to local forums.

Below: The passage of all legislation through the Houses of Parliament take this route through to Royal Assent when they become Law.

“The balance between local consultation and a timely decision-making process must be retained, so that businesses which are looking to grow are not unduly hindered.”

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) also welcomes the idea of taking a local approach where possible, but shares the BPF’s concerns at the current Bill’s lack of recognition of the importance of the role of small businesses in local communities.

“We are supportive of proposals to allow councils to offer discretionary business rate discounts,” says a spokesperson. “We believe this has the potential for councils to help support key local businesses or boost an area by attracting and encouraging new businesses. However, given that the schemes will be self-funded, we have reservations about the willingness of local authorities to embrace them.”

The FSB added that it was also particularly concerned that the new laws would not make it obligatory for local businesses to be involved in the Neighbourhood Forums, which would approve or veto planning proposals.

“Local businesses are the drivers of local economies and form a crucial part of the community,” added the spokesperson.

“We have called for business owners to be included in the definition of those people who can join the forums.”

However, there are two sides to the argument – while the bill might mean

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residents can veto plans they don’t like, it would also give them the power to fast track those they do approve of without having to apply for planning consent.

This could benefit community-run businesses because it would allow them to bypass the lengthy legal system and expedite business plans that do win their vote. This means that councils would no longer need to seek central approval for development plans, as long as they were given the green light at community level.

But the FSB also points out that giving community members the right to buy local

concerns could impose on personal property rights and prevent sales from taking place.

“We have concerns about the scope of a community right to buy that includes private assets such as local pubs and shops run by small businesses,” says the FSB spokesperson. “Under the proposals they could be prevented from selling their property for up to six months if placed on a list of community assets. Mere presence on a list, and the existence of a moratorium period, may impact on the market value of a property or threaten a sale.”

New planning provisions in the bill would

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LOCALISM BILL

allow councils to charge businesses a special infrastructure fee for new developments in their areas; some of the revenue from this would then be ploughed back into the local community to use in projects to improve the neighbourhood. Residents would in turn be able to apply for money from this fund with business proposals, which would then be put to a local referendum: those ideas receiving at least half of the total votes cast would be approved for funding.

London has also been specifically highlighted within the Bill as shown in the

box below. With the Localism Bill due to reach its Report Stage and third reading in the House of Commons by the end of May, the Government is tabling a number of proposals for consideration before the legislation passes through to the House of Lords for further scrutiny and possible amendments.

We will be keeping a close eye on developments and lobbying for more business involvement in the localism Bill as it develops.

We will publish more about this in future issues and on our website.

The Bill contains a range of powers aimed to strengthen London's governance such as: • The devolution of executive powers over housing investment from the Homes and Communities Agency to the Greater London Authority so that it can be fully aligned with the Mayor's own funding pot and the London Housing Strategy.

• New powers for the Mayor of London to create Mayoral Development Corporations to focus regeneration where it is needed most, such as to help secure East London's Olympic legacy, in partnership with London Boroughs.

• the abolition of the LDA (London Development Agency), with its city-wide roles on regeneration and management of European funding to be transferred to the Greater London Authority so that the Mayor is directly accountable. The Government has already announced the end of the Government Office for London and the Regional Development Agencies across the UK.

• Boroughs will be given control over more of the major planning decisions that affect their local communities – the Mayor will only consider the largest planning applications in future.

• Streamlining consultation on Mayoral strategies, leading to a single environmental strategy. The Assembly will also gain a new power to reject the Mayor's final strategies if a two-thirds majority is achieved when voting.

For more about the work of Victoria BID please visit our website

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

EATING OUT

Foodie news

There’s plenty happening on the SW1 dining scene.

Simone Kane rounds up the latest openings. with an emphasis on sharing. And on warm evenings, Kazan Café’s outdoor tables are the perfect place to enjoy cocktails – or a shisha pipe.

Browns Bar & Brasserie Victoria 2 Cardinal Walk, London SW1E 5AG www.browns-restaurants.co.uk To book: 0207 821 1450

After a major refurbishment of what was previously the HaHa Bar & Grill, wellknown brasserie brand Browns opened its doors in April. The friendly staff has already established a reputation in the area for serving up Browns’ signature classy cocktails and good food in the spacious, stylishly revamped, restaurant and bar in popular Cardinal Place. Serving all day, Browns’ menus are a blend of classic and modern dishes, sharing platters, pasta and salads.

And on Tuesday evenings and Thursday and Sunday lunchtimes diners can relax to the sound of a live pianist.

Kazan Café 77 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1DE www.kazan-restaurant.com To book: 0207 233 8298

Launched in April as a sister to the popular Kazan Restaurant (also on Wilton Road), Kazan Café opens daily, offering daytime and evening menus. From 9am, sample a traditional English or Turkish breakfast, featuring grilled haloumi, eggs, olives and melon. Or try muesli with fresh-cut mixed berries. Brunch includes homemade burgers, healthy wraps, shish kebabs and Mediterranean salads. The evening menu is similar to Kazan, but offers a broader mix of mezze from Lebanon, Russia and Greece,

www.inSW1.com

Caxton Grill 2 Caxton Street, London SW1H 0QH www.caxtongrill.co.uk To book: 0207 222 7888

Open from early June, the Caxton Grill – the restaurant of the newly reopened St Ermin’s Hotel near St James’s Park (see page 4) – features bright, modern interiors and a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Its modern European menu uses locally sourced, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

Head chef Hus Vedat gives a smoky finish to his signature dishes – such as half a “label Anglais” Essex chicken with lemon and thyme – in a specially installed Josper Grill, an indoor charcoal oven that is one of only a handful in London. Private dining is available, or the Caxton Quick menu (£20/£25) makes the perfect snappy business lunch, while a la carte mains start at £15. And, if you need another incentive to book, the restaurant donates a percentage of each sale of a Josper dish to Action Against Hunger.

Bistro on the Square 37 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PB www.ecclestonsquarehotel.com To book: 0207 932 2486

Another restaurant to open its doors as part of a hotel launch on 4th July, 2011 (see page 5).

This 49-cover eatery aims to set itself apart from other dining out options in the area with an all-day service, seven days a week and hopes to woo local residents and tourists alike with its weekend American brunch. At other times, the lunch and dinner menus are French bistro-style, featuring old favourites like grilled lemon sole, alongside newcomers such as beef sliders – all using fresh, organic and locally sourced ingredients. Every dish comes with a pairing recommendation from the primarily French wine list. Heavenly breakfasts and afternoon teas are served every weekday, while a selection of tapas is available to accompany evening drinks.

Abokado 3 Broadway, London SW1H 0AZ www.abokado.com To book: 0207 799 2935

Popular healthy lunchtime haunt Abokado has opened its latest London branch on the corner of Caxton Street, minutes from St James’s Park tube. Offering a selection of sushi, wraps and salads, the company can also deliver bagged or boxed lunches to your desk if you just can’t tear yourself away from your work. With its proximity to Christchurch Gardens, Abokado is an ideal pitstop en route to this popular open air lunchtitme favourite of local office workers, that is right next door.

If you would like your restaurant to be reviewed or would like to join us in reviewing a local restaurant, please contact Nina Provençal.

T 020 3004 0790 E nina.provencal@insw1.com Visit our website for more places to eat and drink in SW1– www.insw1.com

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BUSINESS CONTINUITY & London 2012

On your marks...

In just over a year, the streets of Victoria will play host to thousands of tourists and Olympic enthusiasts as they throng to the capital to watch sporting history being made. Damien Black takes a look at the challenges and potential rewards for local businesses as the London 2012 Games get ever closer.

B

race yourselves! The Olympic Games is coming to town, and with it it’ll bring a feast of opportunities for Victoria’s highstreet businesses. But hot on its heels will also be hordes of tourists from across the globe – and getting around London during this busy period will be a challenge that many SW1 companies cannot afford to ignore.

The 2012 Olympics is set to run from 27 July to 12 August, with the Paralympics scheduled for 29 August to 9 September.

During that period it is estimated that 20 million extra journeys will be made in the capital, as 80% of Olympian enthusiasts use the rail and Tube networks to get to events.

The diversion created by the Olympic route means that traffic will be rerouted through Victoria, especially vehicles carrying freight. Meanwhile Park Lane and parts of Embankment will be out of bounds, causing traffic – expected to rise as a result of the Games in any case – being diverted through central Victoria and Belgravia.

The mainline railway service accessed from Victoria station could experience delays of up to half an hour during peak times, while the worst affected Underground routes will be the Jubilee and Central lines, which could see journeys delayed by as much as an hour over the same period.

But it’s not all bad news. Because these Tube lines are serviced by Victoria and Westminster stations, businesses in Victoria

could be set to clean up, and pubs, cafés and restaurants are likely to see an upsurge in custom as disgruntled would-be passengers seek refreshments to soothe their travel woes.

More generally, retail outlets in Victoria are also likely to benefit from the legions of extra potential shoppers generated by the whopping 10.8 million Olympic tickets on sale. After all, there’s nothing like a spot of impulse buying to celebrate a vicarious success on the sporting field, or to ease the pain of watching your favourite athlete fall short of medal glory.

So there’s little cause for local businesses to despair at the prospect of an SW1 swollen with Olympian tourists clutching bulging wallets. And a modicum of forethought and planning will help them to weather the festive furore in 2012 and maintain business continuity while reaping the benefits of extra customers.

Three key areas in which the Games could adversely affect businesses are journeys to work for staff members, customer and client travel, and commercial deliveries and collections. The first priority should be to reduce non-essential journeys.

Some staff should even be encouraged to take that well-deserved break during the Games themselves. Or, where it is possible for them to do so, employees could be asked to work remotely from home. One advantage these two options share is that they aren’t

Businesses in Victoria should be poised to reap the once-in-a-lifetime benefits generated by the Games – without being driven to distraction by them.

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particularly onerous – suggesting that staff take holidays or don’t commute should be an easy sell for most employers. Stockpiling goods before the Games could also help to cut down business-related journeys during the much-anticipated sporting fiesta.

Can’t avoid travelling? The second priority for local entrepreneurs is to manage those essential journeys so they cause the minimum of disruption and stress, which will demoralise staff and could adversely affect a business if left unchecked. Again, thinking ahead is crucial and managers will need to talk to staff and clients, helping them to investigate different routes, travel times, and modes of transport, as well as rescheduling trips wherever possible to avoid busy periods and locations. One other option – albeit a rather drastic one – is to consider changing working or opening hours or promoting other outlets; a more conservative strategy is for businesses to share and consolidate deliveries with similar concerns in the same area, or simply change delivery times to avoid delays caused by congestion.

Strategies devised for coping should be trialled well in advance to make sure they work – the best laid plans often go astray if untested. This is a point that BID chief executive, Ruth Duston, is keen to stress.

“Businesses are going to have to adjust – certain roads will be closed during the day and you’ll only be allowed to have deliveries at night,” she says. “One thing we’re looking at doing is having technical exercises for businesses within the dead area to try and test some of their plans.”

She adds that the Met and London Organisation Committee of the Olympic

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

Games are arranging a seminar to brief local business leaders on the impact that the Games will have on them. “What we’re trying to do is bring business continuity to the front of their minds,” he explains. “Raise the issues and give them a chance to speak to experts, so they can get measures in place and hopefully come close to business as usual.”

Bryan Cress, assistant regional director of the Confederation of British Industry, agrees

that with the right preparation businesses should profit from the Games. “The Olympics will be a source of great national pride and excitement, beneficial for businesses and will generate significant wealth for the UK economy,” he says. “The Olympics Delivery Authority and Transport for London have conducted an in-depth assessment of how transport will be affected and are working with business organisations to communicate

this information to companies so they can plan effectively to avoid disruption.”

Maps and dates of events are available online – to see if and how your business will be affected, visit www.london2012.com and look under Travel Advice For Business. With the right mindset, businesses in Victoria should be poised to reap the once-in-alifetime benefits generated by the Games – without being driven to distraction by them.

Possible travel disruptions affecting Victoria during the London 2012 Games Sport

When

Where

Travel Routes Affected

Beach Volleyball

Sat 28 July - Thurs 9 Aug

Horse Guards Parade

Victoria / Charing Cross / Embankment, Piccadilly Circus, Westminster, Green Park

Cycling (road)

Sat 28 July - Sun 29 July

The Mall/ Buckingham Palace

Victoria / St James's Park, Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park

Swimming (marathon)

Thurs 9 Aug - Fri 10 Aug

Hyde Park

Paddington / Victoria Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Knightsbridge,

Triathlon

Sat 4 Aug / Tues 7 Aug

Hyde Park

Paddington / Victoria Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Knightsbridge

Marathon

Sun 5 Aug / Sun 12 Aug

The Mall/ Buckingham Palace

Victoria / St James's Park, Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park

Race Walk

Sat 4 Aug / Sun 11 Aug

The Mall/ Buckingham Palace

Victoria / St James's Park, Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park

For more about how your business will be affected by the Olympics please visit our website.

www.inSW1.com

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WALKING TOURS 2011

Feet first...

Who was the Pimlico builder of whom it was said by the monarch of the day: “a better, kind-hearted man never lived”? Who was dubbed the English Mozart? Find out on a Victoria BID walking tour.

I

f you'd like to know the answers to these questions and more, there is a rich cast of historic characters waiting to be uncovered.

Victoria BID's walking tours run throughout the summer until September, taking in both the Open Squares weekend (11-12 June) and Open House Weekend (17-18 September).

All walks are free. If you cannot make them on the dates published you can download information sheets from our website and do them in your own time.

There are, in addition, three talks in June. These complement existing walks for those wanting a more in-depth history of the SW1 area. Themes are: Westminster at War; Developments of Victoria; and Victoria's historical characters. © Nina Provençal / Victoria BID

GARDEN WALKS Our garden walks take participants to private garden squares across SW1. One of the first takes place as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2011 opens on 25 May. Roger Phillips, landscape gardener and author of 40-plus books, will guide you around award-winning Eccleston Square garden – for which he's been responsible for more than 30 years. See the largest collection of Californian Lilacs (Ceanothus) in the world and a substantial number of plants that originate in Australasia. The garden has the distinction of being the only garden square to make it into the National Garden Scheme.

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OPEN SQUARES Victoria BID is taking part in Open Squares 2011, which is organised by London Parks & Gardens Trust. We have arranged for guided visits starting from Lower Grosvenor Gardens in the heart of Victoria, just oppposite the mainline station. What exactly are those seashell-encrusted garden buildings? This is your chance to find out.

Then on to Chester Square with its rare colelction of plants. Eaton Square lies at the heart of Belgravia and has many stories to unearth. Finally, tours will take in Victoria Square, one of the first squares commissioned by the Grosvenor family in England. This is an architectural gem. Victoria Square sits around the corner from the Goring Hotel, made famous recently when HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and the Middleton family moved in prior to the Royal Wedding.

HISTORIC WALKS How did a school building become a National Trust gift shop? Why did a meeting place for the suffragette movement become a renowned location for celebrity marriages?

What happened for a prison to turn into a cathedral and up-market accommodation?

Find out the answers to these questions and more about the redevelopment of Victoria.

Admire elegant terraces and impressive squares of SW1, the location of many foreign

embassies and consulates, encompassing some of the most desirable addresses in the UK. Within minutes of the hussle and bustle of Victoria station there is another world to discover in the neighbourhoods of Pimlico and Belgravia. Sir Winston Churchill and a Cardinal or two have lived in this area; the famous actress Dame Edith Evans lived on Ebury Street; while James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, also resided on Victoria Square – to name just a few of our famous ex-residents.

Evening walks Victoria has an important role in the direction of national politics because of its proximity to the Palace of Westminster and the seat of British Government. It is also a place of entertainment. Begin your tour at the first of our Palaces, the Victoria Palace Theatre, to learn about its association with prima ballerina, Anna Pavlova. Learn more about the architecture of Buckingham Palace and talk about the builder of one of its wings, whose present-day descendants is due to occupy the Palace. Then stroll to the Palace of Westminster, looking as you go at the fascinating involvement of the suffragettes and how they shaped 20th-century politics.

Another walk will follow a route through the centre of Victoria to the far side of Pimlico, via Belgravia. You will visit where Mozart lived for a short period, and composed his first symphony, as well as the place where Chopin gave a famous recital.

We will be visiting a house that featured in classic TV series Upstairs, Downstairs.

Towards the end, by contrast, we will see housing for the industrious poor and the delights of Orange Square.

All walks are free. If you can't make them on the dates published, you can download information sheets for each of them from our website and complete them in your own time.

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

INTERVIEW

A stroll through history CHRIS EVERETT (MA London Studies & City of Westminster Guide) tells us more about himself and the walks he undertakes on our behalf around SW1.

What are the biggest challenges faced on a typical guided tour?

Noise, traffic and more noise.

What single thing would improve your job as a guide in SW1?

Traffic-free days and cycle only days.

I doubt this will ever happen but it would be nice.

What has been the best part of the job you have in taking people around Victoria on walking tours?

Seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they visit places they have never seen before.

Have you learned much from people on the tours that have been incorporated into your tours?

Some people who join the walks have worked or lived in Victoria for many years, there is always a surprise or two.

What is the most rewarding experience you have had as a guide in SW1?

People appreciating the layers of history that surrounds them. There has been continual renewal of Victoria over the past 200 years; people are often amazed by this. They're always inquisitive on the walks, which is great, and there is a good atmosphere about the tours.

What is the best fact you know about this area?

If Victoria Street had been named 20 years earlier, it would have been named after King William IV. We would have William Station and William Street.

What would a person who has worked in Victoria for a year or two get from joining you on a tour?

Definitely a better sense of the area, feeling part of Victoria through finding unexpected places and spaces and the contrasts between them.

What would be the first place you would take a person who has just started a new job in Victoria and wanted to get to know it a bit better?

There are too many places to choose just one. I would take them away from their daily commuter route.

www.inSW1.com

How do you overcome them?

We walk through backstreets as much as possible; there are more than you think.

Are there any themes you feel people would find interesting?

People would find the development of Belgravia, architecture and the prisons interesting. The development of Belgravia is really where the development of Victoria began. As the aristocracy moved in to live alongside the royal family. Architecture is always a good theme and Victoria demonstrates a typical London landscape with design from the Victorian era through to the 21st century.

What makes you get out of bed and do this for a living?

Without a doubt – living in the best city in the world.

© Dominick Tyler

How long have you been working as a guide and what are the qualities that make you a good storyteller?

I have been working as a guide now for 10 years. I love the job. I’m a Londoner through and through – my family has been in London for more than 200 years.

I’m interested in London’s history and people and care very much about sharing what I have learned with other people. I think this contributes greatly to making one a good storyteller as people can see that you are sincere.

Where would you recommend people go to get a real sense of what Victoria is like to visit?

I would advise people to come on one of the walking tours to get a real sense of the area – there is a lot to see.

If you would like to find out more about the Victoria BID walking tour programme, please contact Nina Provençal. or view the full itinery of walks on our website T 020 3004 0790 E nina.provencal@insw1.com

27

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