Savile Row granted protection from Westminster City Council

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 11, 2016

Iconic London areas including Savile Row, Mayfair, Harley Street, St James’ and Portland Place are set to benefit from a new policy introduced by Westminster City Council this Friday.

The new measures will allow Westminster City Council to reject planning proposals which threaten the character of some of these historically and culturally significant London destinations.

It will also support heritage specialist traders by preventing an “invasion of global brands”.

Savile Row is the global home of bespoke tailoring for men with brands such as Gieves and Hawkes, Henry Poole, Huntsman and Norton & Sons. Despite its worldwide popularity, many antique antiques traders have been forced to shut down their business due to commercial pressures.

The new policy help ensure that these areas retain their historic identity.

Cllr Robert Davis MBE DL, Westminster City Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Built Environment, said: “Like a good suit, planning policy should be made to measure.”

“Our historic tailors and art traders are coming under intense pressure from other disparate uses eager to rent in the area. We are using our powers to protect some of the capital’s most valuable assets and create environments where specialist traders can thrive.”

The initiative was welcome by the Chairman of Gieves and Hawkes, ark Henderson, who said : “As one of the area’s oldest tailors, we’re proud of our road’s unique status, which attracts the best talent and brings us clients from across the world... It would be a disaster if all that heritage were lost and the tailors lining our road today were replaced by retailers found on every high-street in the country."