Marks & Spencer executive says Oxford Street decline is driving surge in crime

This week, a police dispersal order was made due to the TikTok-inspired crime wave that publicised and encouraged mass shoplifting in the shopping district.

In a letter to The Telegraph, M&S operations director Sacha Berendji said Oxford Street was once “the jewel in London’s shopping crown” but now consisted of “empty shops, littered streets and fewer visitors”.

His comments follow an opinion article in the newspaper that praised a decision by housing and communities secretary Michael Gove to block M&S’ plans to demolish its flagship Marble Arch store and rebuild it.

Berendji said the chaos on Oxford Street on Wednesday, which resulted in home secretary Suella Braverman calling for those responsible to be “hunted down and locked up” as well as the arrest of nine people, was “another reminder of how bad things are” for the shopping district.

“The street was practically locked down by police to prevent major unrest planned on social media,” Berendji said.

“Londoners know that something must be done to save Oxford Street.”

M&S is currently deciding whether to quit its flagship store on Oxford Street after Gove’s decision. He blocked proposals on the basis that itheywould “fail to support the transition to a low-carbon future”.

Westminster Council and local retailers have expressed support for M&S’ plans.

“With the support of Westminster Council, the Greater London Authority and many of our retail neighbours, M&S wanted to start the fight back,” Berendji said.

“To reverse the failing fortunes of Oxford Street by redeveloping our store to provide a modern, sustainable building which would have regenerated the area, created thousands of jobs, drastically cut ongoing carbon emissions, and attracted new investment.”

He said Gove’s decision meant Oxford Street “remains in limbo”.