Friday 6 June:
Each month we share a snapshot of the community support, crime prevention and enforcement work in the West End.

Crime Reduction Partnership

HOLBA, The Met’s Town Centre Team and the West End Policing Team, Westminster City Council’s City Inspectors, Safer Business Network and HOLBA’s My Local Bobby, all work collaboratively with a commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all who work, visit and live in the West End.

Prosecution successes

To uphold safety and environmental standards, as well as public space regulations, enforcement cases have been brought forward at Westminster Magistrates Court, against several pedicab users, unlicensed street traders and irresponsible businesses in the West End. Summary of successful prosecutions and court penalties:

• Pedicab Offences (Control of Pollution Act 1974)

Rider 1: Pleaded guilty – Total penalty: £480

Rider 2: Failed to attend – Guilty in absence – £1,700

Rider 3: Not guilty plea, failed to attend – Guilty in absence – £2,340

• Unlicensed Street Trading (City of Westminster Act 1999)

Hot dog trader (NYE offence): Guilty in absence – £1,620, including trolley forfeiture

• Waste Transfer Breach (Environmental Protection Act 1990)

Business premises: Guilty in absence – £1,033

Total fines awarded: £7,173

CCTV investment for Leicester Square – a crime reduction partnership

Westminster City Council has approved more than £500,000 in CCTV investment for high-footfall areas of the West End, including Leicester Square, Chinatown and Soho. The investment was confirmed at a cabinet meeting on 18 May and forms part of a borough-wide rollout of 200 new CCTV cameras—the largest in Westminster’s history.

Leicester Square and Chinatown will receive 14 cameras, funded with £213,579, supported by HOLBA. The network will be monitored 24/7 from a dedicated control room in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Leicester Square engagement event

On Wednesday 21 May, HOLBA partnered with Westminster City Council, the Met Police, Safer Business Network and My Local Bobby for a Crime Prevention Engagement event in Leicester Square Gardens. The team distributed mobile phone lanyards and shared advice on robbery and theft prevention, alongside information on safety initiatives such as Night Stars. The event led to over 130 meaningful engagements with visitors and local businesses, reinforcing a visible and reassuring safety presence in the area. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event such a success.

Night-Time Economy Security Patrol: Funding Milestone Reached

HOLBA’s voluntary ENTE (Evening & Night-Time Economy) security patrol, which operates from 10pm to 6am in Leicester Square, continues to gain strong support.

We’re pleased to report that 14 businesses have now pledged a total of £89,000 this financial year—an average of £6,357 per contributor. The patrol enhances visibility and reassurance at night, and we encourage further participation from businesses across the area.

High-speed e-bikes announced as the new tool against phone snatchers

In response to the rising trend of phone snatchers using high-speed electric bikes to commit thefts and evade capture, the Metropolitan Police has introduced a fleet of high-speed e-bikes, capable of accelerating to 50 mph in just 3.6 seconds. According to The Standard, the deployment of these e-bikes has already shown promising results in high-footfall areas like the West End and The City of London Police reports a nearly 30% reduction in phone snatching incidents since the introduction of these tactics earlier this year.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to combat the £50 million-a-year trade in stolen mobile devices and to make the city a hostile environment for those seeking to commit such crimes.