Shoppers Flock In

The City of London’s promotion of a broader economic base with increased leisure and retailing has been justified in spectacular fashion in the past year with the opening of the New Change retail complex. This is at the core of the move to a ‘seven days a week’ shopping offer which is gradually widening away from Cheapside to include peripheral areas. New Change, with its 58 shops, (30 of which have never been in the City before), has proved very popular with the 300,000 visitors in December, which despite the poor weather was a figure higher than anticipated. To add to the attractions of hopping, the City of London is seeking powers to allow trading as part of street events, which could prove attractive with the City’s easier parking for cars at the weekend. In time it is hoped that all the retail areas will link, from West (Cheapside) to East (Spitalfields) drawing in the historic Leadenhall Market which is 600 years old this year. The City of London has invested £6 million in the area around New Change to improve the environment, including widening the payments.