London retailers hit back at Mayor’s criticism
Livingstone urges Oxford Street to raise its game
February 19 2004
Central London retailers have hit back at criticism from London mayor Ken Livingstone.
In the week the London congestion charge celebrates its first anniversary, Livingstone has hailed the success of the radical solution to traffic congestion.
With traffic moving faster in central London, the scheme has the support of around 75 per cent of Londoners, according to figures from the mayor’s office.
Responding to criticism of the scheme from central London retailers who claim tade has suffered, the mayor suggested the fault lay with a lack of the ‘wow’ factor in Oxford Street.
He said central London was losing trade to out-of-town retail developments such as Brent Cross and Bluewater, and suggested stores should improve the range of goods available to shoppers.
Livingstone said: “The central London shopping experience has got to really up its game so it’s world class and a major attraction for tourists.”
[img r]johnlewisoxfordstreet.jpg[/img]Department store operator John Lewis, which has its flagship store on Oxford Street, has commissioned its own independent survey into he impact of the charge, due for publication soon.
John Lewis communications director Paul Burden told the London [i]Evening Standard [/i]newspaper: “I don’t think many of our customers would recognise his account of what our shop offers.”
[img l]selfridges.jpg[/img]Peter Williams, who has just announced he is stepping down as chief executive of Selfridges, told the newspaper: “I think the retail offer in Oxford Street is one of the best in the world. Whether it’s Top Shop or Hamleys or Selfridges or John Lewis itself, we have got such a concentration of quality retail here.”
