While Paddington Bear the Movie is busily putting Paddington onto the map globally, Westminster City Council is busily expanding the West End into Paddington as it poses the question if employment is to grow significantly in the West End, where should this growth go?

The consultation on this matter began just before the christmas break with the above diagram illustrating well what is intended, if you look at the top-left hand corner of map marked ” West End Fringe potential”. So it is clear that Westminster City Council want to expand the West End into Paddington and in particular Wards like Church Street. Taking a strategic London perspective, expansion into the City of London would make better sense as you will not have the conflict with a residential community in the evening and weekend over issues like licensing and rubbish collection with the dining, entertainment and the evening and night-time economy.

Any growth needs to respect the existing communities and support them, tackling deprivation and inequalities. These needs particularly need to be taken on board with floorspace demands for creative and digital industries which is anticipated would need to be accommodated in this expansion of the West End.

What local residents in Church Street Ward will certainly do not want when getting absorbed into the West End, is West End prices for food and accommodation!