Oxford Street’s infamous “Golf Sale” man, an emblem in the eyes of many of everything that is wrong with London’s premier shopping thoroughfare, faces exile within months.
Although legislation has been in place since last year to ban him and his fellow sandwich-board carriers from the street, no action has been taken as yet.
But Richard Dickinson, who took over as chief executive of business improvement organisation New West End Company (NWEC) earlier this year, has pledged: “Golf Sale man’s days are numbered.”
The crackdown on placards is indicative of Dickinson’s determination to oversee improvements in the West End as part of a£34 million project to improve the district, backed by retailers, property firms and the London Mayor.
Other initiatives include the UK’s first diagonal crossing at Oxford Circus next spring to improve the area for pedestrians.
Dickinson said the removal of sandwich-board men would signal that the West End is becoming more accessible and attractive.
Alongside street-management improvements and cutting crime, Dickinson’s priorities are to reduce traffic and oversee redevelopment of problem areas, such as the east end of Oxford Street.
Dickinson said the NWEC, which is at the start of a five-year programme to improve the area, has to come good on its promises. “The first stage was making the case for the West End. This stage is about delivery,” he said.
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