At what point did all those American candy shops start popping up?
And at what point did all the loud and colorful bike taxi thingies start showing up?
Was I just not paying attention my last time there several years ago, or maybe the bike folks weren't out because I visited in the middle of winter?
At what point did all those American candy shops start popping up?
When the shops selling tourist tat had to close down because there weren't any. Although there were a few around before that. Westminster City Council is finally acting against a number of them.
And at what point did all the loud and colorful bike taxi thingies start showing up?
Rickshaws been around for some time. Many other places have acted to get them stopped but the legislation is different in London for hire vehicles than anywhere else. Westminster City Council has now started to prosecute various operators, mainly under the Control of Pollution Act for playing loud music.
Was I just not paying attention my last time there several years ago, or maybe the bike folks weren't out because I visited in the middle of winter?
Probably the latter although the numbers have been increasing through year on year as Westminster CC ignored them.
I should note at this point I guess that Westminster CC changed political colour this year for the first time in 58 years. May have some relevance.
There are lots of vacant shops looking for occupiers hence the rise in a lower calibre of tenant.
Rickshaws have been around for more than a decade, unfortunately. They are dangerous and should be off the streets. You see fewer in the winter.
At what point did all those American candy shops start popping up?
When criminal gangs saw an opportunity for money laundering. There was a large scale bust last week by Trading Standards who seized a large amount of counterfeit goods. Don't expect to see them around for much longer.
*Edit: Here's a link to an article regarding the explosion in American candy shops www.timeout.com/london/news/revealed-the-shocking-secrets-of-oxford-streets-sweet-shops-and-souvenir-stores-050522
When criminal gangs saw an opportunity for money laundering.
I knew those Peaky Blinders had something to do with it!
