London’s Image Starts with Safety, Not Slogans

London’s Image Starts with Safety, Not Slogans

In advertising, there is a simple rule that has stood the test of time: never promote a product until it is truly ready for the customer experience you are promising. This principle applies just as strongly to cities as it does to brands. Yet London’s leadership seems eager to sell a version of the city that visitors simply won’t find when they arrive—especially around Oxford Street.

Before inviting the world to “Visit London,” we must face what tourists actually encounter: phone snatchers operating in broad daylight, pavements littered with rubbish, rows of money-laundering “candy shops,” and far too many shuttered storefronts that signal decline rather than vibrancy. No amount of glossy marketing can cover up a street scene that feels unsafe, unmanaged, and frankly unwelcoming.

Tourism thrives on trust. People travel to places where they feel secure, where streets are clean, where policing is visible and effective, and where local commerce feels authentic, not suspicious. If the city cannot guarantee these fundamentals, then any promotional campaign becomes an exercise in over-promise and under-deliver—a trap every good advertiser avoids.

Instead of spending effort championing tourism or rushing to pedestrianize streets, the priority must be restoring safety, cleanliness, and confidence. Strengthen the police force. Clean up the streets. Enforce regulations on dubious retailers. Support legitimate businesses so Oxford Street can regain its identity as a flagship shopping district rather than a cautionary tale.

Only when London is genuinely ready—safe, vibrant, and trustworthy—should it be advertised. Until then, the most responsible leadership message is not “Come visit,” but “We are fixing what matters.”