Cities are ecosystems and we need to constantly refresh them
Oxford Street is, despite the fact that most Londoners venture their only under the most extreme of Christmas present pressures, a literal shop window for the capital.
That it has been recently taken over by garish American candy stores and knock-off vape shops is, therefore, less than ideal. The steps Westminster Council are taking, then, are welcome.
Places matter. They matter for the economy, and for the general health of an ecosystem. Walk through the City and, in certain areas where footfall was always lighter, it’s clear that more needs to be done to keep the Square Mile vibrant. Too many of Fleet Street’s shops are vacant. The area towards Fenchurch Street, too, feels too ghost-town-y for our liking.
There are, mercifully, things that can be done. The City Corporation is going out of its way to bring people in at non-traditional hours, including aerial gymnastics on the very facade of St. Paul’s. Commercial landlords too need to take an innovative approach; it’s no doubt tempting to claw back any pandemic losses and interest rates being as they are it mightn’t feel like the time to be thinking medium- or long-term about their sites, when cash through the door is the priority. But placemaking creates value in the long-term.
To see the proof, one can hop up to King’s Cross. Yesterday saw the fiftieth building on the once-decrepit site given the green light by the council. In the meantime, this particular space has been used as everything from an estate agent showcase to an English sparkling wine bar. The very first work of urban theorists in the 1960s came up with a simple rule: people, the more the better, create better, more desirable and (yes) more valuable places.
More could be done across the capital. Soho, for instance, was a delight in the first months after both lockdowns, with restaurants spilling onto the streets and a genuine cafe culture at play. Removing that has made London poorer. Music venues need more help with licensing, not just for their own sake but for the pubs and restaurants nearby which benefit. Cities are ecosystems, and we need to constantly refresh them. London’s motto should very simply be more, more, more.