Pedestrianisation of Oxford Street has been talked about for decades, but it is now finally set to become a reality. From 26 October, almost a kilometre of the nation's high street will be closed to traffic as part of a wider push to regenerate the area.

Our latest What Next for London? podcast examines what pedestrianisation will mean in practice for businesses, visitors and residents that use Oxford Street. We also explore how these hotly debated plans fit into a wider vision for other parts of the West End and what else is needed to drive growth in an area that is an economic powerhouse for the whole country.

The discussion features expert insight from three people who are at the very heart of the future of Oxford Street and the West End: Nabeel Khan, Chief Executive, Oxford Street Development Corporation; Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company; and Cllr Paul Swaddle, Leader, Westminster City Council.

Running order:

• Introduction (0:01)

• What should pedestrianisation of Oxford Street look like? (2:37)

• Working together to deliver (17:32)

• The wider West End (22:59)

• What else is needed? (29:55)

• The role of devolution (36:24)

• West End hot spots (40:43)

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN.

Music is provided by Coma-Media.

Following the new Prime Minister's announcement of the ​"biggest transfer of power, funding and responsibility from Westminster in a generation", our latest podcast brings together BusinessLDN's Chief Executive John Dickie and Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and Chair of the Growing Together Alliance, to discuss what the Government's devolution revolution could mean for businesses.

The pair discuss what we can learn about Andy Burnham and his approach to governing from his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester, what impactful devolution looks like on the ground, how empowering cities can help drive local growth and investment, and much else besides.

This episode was recorded as a live discussion with members as the Government published its new devolution proposals. Read our expert guide to what the changes mean for London here.

Running order:

2:09 How Andy Burnham's time as Mayor has influenced his approach to governing and the development of ​'Manchesterism'

21:47 What could delivery of the Government's devolution plans mean in practice?

30:35 The role of devolution in driving growth

34:05 What part can business improvement districts (BIDs) play in the devolution revolution?

38:08 Assessing Greater Manchester as an exemplar of good devolution

43:19 How can businesses engage with the new No 10 North?

44:31 The critical role of public-private collaboration in driving local growth

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify.

Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN. Music is provided by Coma-Media.

In our latest What Next for London? podcast, our Chief Executive John Dickie speaks with the Lady Mayor of the City of London, Dame Susan Langley, about her campaign to tackle disinformation targeting the capital and what more can be done to boost the city's global reputation as international destinations vie for investment.

The pair also talk through the steps needed to ensure more Londoners can access roles in the UK's world-leading financial and professional services sectors, how firms in the City are making use of AI, as well as what businesses are hoping to see from next month's Budget.

Running order:

• The role of the Lady Mayor of the City of London (1:44)
• Team UK: concept, objectives and results (2:57)
• What can London learn from other capitals around the world? (8:03)
• The City's asks for the upcoming Budget (12:41)
• How the adoption of AI is reshaping financial and professional services (17:31)

Find out more about the Team UK initiative here. And listen to our recent podcasts on crime in the capital and the rise of AI on our website.

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify.

Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN. Music is provided by Coma-Media.

On Monday, 20 July, Andy Burnham will officially become the UK's new Prime Minister – the seventh person to hold the role in just over a decade. What will his new government mean for the capital, and how will his economic vision of 'Manchesterism' play out on the national stage?

Our latest podcast explores these questions with an expert panel featuring John McTernan, leading political commentator and former Director of Political Operations for Tony Blair, and Patrick Diamond, Professor in Public Policy at Queen Mary University and formerly Head of Policy Planning in 10 Downing Street.

Listen now to gain insight on key challenges facing the new government, what promises of greater devolution could mean in practice for London and some of the steps that the new Prime Minister can take to boost growth.

Running order:

• Introduction (0:01)
• The handover of power (1:20)
• The next Chancellor and Treasury orthodoxy (04:29)
• What does Manchesterism mean for London? (10:29)
• The politics of London and the new government (34:42)
• A snap election? (38:55)

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN.

Music is provided by Coma-Media.

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence platforms across businesses is already having a profound impact on the world of work.

As a services superpower, London is set to be affected earlier and more profoundly by the rise of AI than other parts of the country.

The capital has already cemented its status as a world-leading AI hub, with investment in the sector soaring in recent years and the likes of OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind all establishing a significant presence in the city.

The rise of AI brings huge opportunities to drive innovation and growth, as well as challenges in ensuring that all Londoners benefit from increased use of artificial intelligence platforms.

As London Tech Week gets underway, BusinessLDN Chief Executive John Dickie is joined by Baroness Martha Lane Fox, tech pioneer and Chair of the Mayor's AI and Jobs Taskforce; Dan Scott, Chief Data Scientist and Head of AI at global consultancy WSP; and Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive of BusinessLDN and Chair of the BusinessLDN-Deloitte AI Steering Group, to explore what the rise of AI will mean for London.

Running order:

• The aims of the Mayor's AI and Jobs Taskforce (2:08)
• Why London will be disproportionately affected by AI (3:48)
• How are businesses using AI platforms in the here and now? (4:48)
• Augmentation vs automation: how is AI impacting jobs? (17:20)
• Advice for businesses taking their first steps with AI (28:02)
• Reforming the education system and training programmes for the AI age (32:08)
• Quick fire: go-to uses for artificial intelligence platforms (39:31)

You can find out more about the BusinessLDN-Deloitte AI Steering Group here and about the Mayor's AI and Jobs Taskforce on the GLA website.

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN. Music is provided by Coma-Media.

On 7 May 2026, more than 1800 councillors – and five mayors – will be elected across 32 London boroughs. Polls suggest that a splintering of the vote could lead to the capital's political map being radically reshaped.

Our latest podcast – featuring Britain's top polling expert, Sir John Curtice; On London's Dave Hill; and Kanda Consulting's Karen Alcock – explores what the numbers are telling us ahead of election day, the key issues that will sway voters locally, how political fragmentation could reshape London's political map and what this all means for business.

Running order:

The London local elections introduction (0:32)

What are the polls telling us? (3:07)

The key issues driving voters locally (12:37)

What could no overall mean for boroughs and businesses? (28:10)

Lobbying for London on the national stage (32:22)

The future of the established political parties (37:39)

Prediction time (45:32)

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN.

Music is provided by Coma-Media.

We have a government with a growth mission. A Mayor with a growth plan. And yet growth has stalled.

In the wake of lacklustre economic forecasts published alongside the Spring Statement, BusinessLDN's Growth Commission has published an action plan to drive growth in the capital quickly and provide an immediate shot in the arm to the UK economy.

What can be done to tackle the barriers to investment in London, and why does this matter for people outside the city?

Our Chief Executive, John Dickie is joined by Helen Gordon, Chief Executive of Grainger and Chair of the Growth Commission, and Peter Hogg, UK & Ireland Country Director at Arcadis, to discuss the new report and the wider challenges in getting growth going.

Read the full Growth Commission report on our website.

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN.

Running order:

What is the Growth Commission, and why was it created? (1:40)

How is London's investment pitch seen around the world? (8:47)

What does London's housing crisis mean for growth, and what can be done to tackle it? (08:10)

Getting infrastructure built and tackling planning delays (13:30)

Streamlining regulation and how devolution can lead to better outcomes (18:22)

Solving the British tax system puzzle (25:29)

Ensuring London is – and is seen to be – a safe City (32:56)

Getting different sectors across the economy growing (35:23)

Music is provided by Coma-Media.

The question of how safe London is as a city has become much debated in the media and across digital platforms around the world in recent weeks and months, impacting perceptions of the capital as a place to visit, work and do business.

Recent research shows a surge in online content portraying London as dangerous, yet official figures indicate that violent crime is falling.

So, what's really going on?

Our Chief Executive John Dickie is joined by Sharon Sawers, Chief Communications Officer at the Metropolitan Police, Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive at the Heart of London Business Alliance, and Dr Mark Hill, Lecturer in Cultural Computation at King's College London, to discuss crime in the capital.

Running order:

Investigating online depictions of crime in London around the world (1:59)

How is crime impacting businesses in the centre of the city? (8:47)

What do the latest official data tell us about levels of crime in the capital? (11:45)

The latest steps in the battle to tackle phone theft (15:21)

Strategies for addressing misinformation about London (17:21)

What can social media platforms do to counter misleading narratives online? (19:17)

How Business Improvement Districts and the Met are working together to tackle crime (23:30)

Find out more about our strategic partnership with the Metropolitan Police on our website.

Subscribe to receive future episodes of What Next for London? on Apple and Spotify. Follow us on X at @_businessLDN and on LinkedIn at BusinessLDN.

Music is provided by Coma-Media.