Like others we were left disappointed by how the Marble Arch Mound was launched, but we welcome the announcement by Westminster City Council today that there will be a thorough internal review to understand what went wrong. Marble Arch Mound was commissioned by Westminster City Council, and we had been waiting for an update from them before commenting any further on the project.

On behalf of the businesses in our membership, we welcome any initiative that is aimed at bringing visitors back to the capital and supporting the central London economy following the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourism is vital to the West End’s hospitality businesses, and as a result of the pandemic visitor numbers remain significantly down, which has severe implications for the wider London economy and its recovery.

We have yet to receive a sponsorship agreement from Westminster City Council for Marble Arch Mound, and we will be seeking reassurance and a detailed and transparent project plan on how the visitor experience can be improved at the Mound before committing any of the BID’s resources. We have also offered our help in the council’s internal investigation to ensure no further mistakes are made.

We hope that once the council has resolved the issues at the attraction that it will fulfil its role in supporting our business community through increasing footfall across the district. This is why we have supported the Marble Arch Mound, and we continue to want to support Westminster City Council with its delivery.

Please do continue to look out for any further updates on the Marble Arch Mound.