Oxford Street at risk without national crime plan, say retailers
"The UK's flagship high streets are important cultural and economic centres - with High Street UK locations generating over £50 billion in economic value every year - yet growing complex challenges around crime and anti-social behaviour put these locations at risk," she said."Take London's West End - the internationally renowned home to Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street is an important driver of jobs, investment, and tourism, contributing 3% of the capital's economic activity.
"Despite this, continued underfunding of policing has left it facing real issues including anti-social behaviour, shop theft and organised business crime."Through the collective voice of High Streets UK, we are calling for the Government to recognise the value of these locations - as economic hubs, anchors for community, and tourism destinations - by ring-fencing dedicated police support."Failing to do so puts growth, and flagship high streets, at serious risk."
High Streets UK held its second quarterly meeting on Wednesday, drawing up four key points that it is urging the Government to tackle.Ms Corsi added: "At our Safer High Streets Forum, we shared our frontline experience of the international criminal gangs, business crime, prolific offenders and anti-social behaviour affecting our high streets - none of which can be meaningfully tackled with the current systems and resources in place."High Streets UK has called for boosted police numbers around high streets, separately measuring performance for the specific areas.It wants immediate jail terms for those who breach criminal behaviour orders, quicker sentencing for crimes linked to retail, and a focus on repeat offenders.And it is calling for national measures to tackle organised crime that affects high streets including begging gangs, and the creation of a national framework for businesses to report crime. 050001 JUN 25
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