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Westminster news
137 stories from and about Westminster, mostly council & politics, crime & safety, culture & arts. The most recent ran on 28 October 2026. Page 2 of 7.
Reported from Westminster
Council & Politics · WestminsterOxford Street pedestrianisation set to go traffic‑free in October
Transport for London says work on the Oxford Street pedestrian scheme will start soon, with the first section expected to close to traffic in October 2026. Westminster’s Conservative leader claims the mayor shortcut the process, while the government confirmed no assessment was needed.
Westminster3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 32- Crime & Safety · Westminster
Noel Clarke to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on sexual offence charges
Noel Clarke, 50, has been charged with two sexual assaults, three voyeurism offences and one exposure. The charges stem from alleged incidents involving five women from 2007 to 2016. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 21 October.
Westminster3 min readTrust 80 · Craft 70 · Hype 10 
Council & Politics · WestminsterMayfair restaurant stays open after Westminster licence conditions imposed
A throat‑slashing incident on 10 August at the Mistress of Mayfair left patron Rhys Copas with an 8 cm wound. Westminster City Council’s Licensing Sub‑Committee has permitted the venue to stay open, but only if it follows strict new licence conditions and has replaced its former general manager.
Westminster3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Crime & Safety · WestminsterMan killed in Abbey Orchard Street stabbing; trial of 18‑year‑old continues
Sulaiman Tajzai, 18, travelled from Leeds to Abbey Orchard Street in Westminster on 27 March, where he stabbed Farmanullah Sherzad to death. The suspect was arrested two days later and is now facing murder charges at the Old Bailey.
Westminster4 min readTrust 68 · Craft 95 · Hype 33
Council & Politics · WestminsterWestminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Wandsworth councils challenge £100m funding cut
Council leaders from Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Wandsworth sent a letter to the Prime Minister on 20 August, warning that the Fairer Funding Review will strip £108 million, £100 million and £84 million respectively over four years. They intend to use legal powers to contest the cuts, while residents face possible tax hikes and service reductions.
Westminster3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Local News · Westminster47 arrested as Just Stop Oil protesters glue themselves to Parliament Square road
Forty-seven people were arrested for public order offences after Just Stop Oil protesters glued themselves to the road outside Parliament on 24 July. About 30 demonstrators disrupted traffic, leading to bus diversions and road closures during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Westminster4 min readTrust 66 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Business · WestminsterRoyal Lancaster London Hotel receives food hygiene rating of 2
The Royal Lancaster London Hotel, rated the UK's best on TripAdvisor, has been given a food hygiene rating of 2 by the Food Standards Agency. The inspection found mouse droppings in the pastry kitchen and issues with cleaning of can openers.
Westminster3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 95 · Hype 32- Crime & Safety · Westminster
Police appeal for witnesses after Covent Garden rape
Detectives are appealing for information after a woman in her 20s was raped in Covent Garden in the early hours of Saturday, 22 August. Police have released CCTV images of a man they wish to identify and speak to in connection with the incident.
Westminster2 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 15 
Council & Politics · WestminsterFormer tenant ordered to pay £494k for council flat fraud
Westminster City Council has secured a Confiscation Order of £494,415.52 against former tenant Saeed Yasin Hosseini. He was found to have fraudulently obtained a council property in Pimlico and illegally sublet it before purchasing it under the Right to Buy scheme.
Westminster3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 75 · Hype 45
Culture & Arts · WestminsterOver 65 artworks missing from Parliament this year
More than 65 artworks have been listed as missing from the Houses of Parliament since the start of 2024. Parliamentary authorities are searching for items including portraits and engravings, though none have been written off as a financial loss.
Westminster3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 77 · Hype 30
Local News · WestminsterWestminster residents invited to free Silver Sunday film and tea
Westminster City Council is hosting a free Silver Sunday event on Sunday, 4 October 2026, featuring a film screening and afternoon tea. The event, with a capacity for 70 attendees, will take place at St. James The Less Church and Lillington Gardens Community Centre.
Westminster2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 10
Council & Politics · WestminsterMistress of Mayfair loses licence after throat-slashing attack in St James's Street
Westminster City Council has suspended the licence of the Mistress of Mayfair after a man's throat was slashed in an attack on 10 August. The Met Police reported failures in ID scanning and security, leading to the temporary closure of the St James's Street venue pending a full review.
Westminster4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 35
Crime & Safety · WestminsterTeenager stabbed on Edgware Road in broad daylight, police seek witnesses
A 19-year-old man was stabbed on Edgware Road at 1.30pm on Sunday. Police confirmed the victim’s injuries are not life-threatening but no arrests have been made. Officers are appealing for witnesses to contact them with information.
Westminster3 min readTrust 54 · Craft 60 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · WestminsterWestminster Council moves to close Charing Cross soup kitchen over safety fears
Westminster Council has threatened to shut down a weekly soup kitchen in Charing Cross, citing safety risks from large crowds and complaints about antisocial behaviour. The charity running the service says council demands, including a waste disposal licence, are making it harder to support homeless residents.
Westminster5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 83 · Hype 21
Council & Politics · WestminsterWestminster Council investigates Soho short-term let after noise complaints
Westminster City Council is investigating a short-term let in Soho after a resident documented months of noise disturbances. The flat above Yusuf’s home has been let to guests, prompting complaints about loud music, suitcases and slamming doors. No enforcement notice has been issued yet.
Westminster5 min readTrust 82 · Craft 73 · Hype 20
Local News · WestminsterBarbie the cat and kittens rescued from 45°C Pimlico boiler room
A mother cat and her three kittens were rescued from a 45°C boiler room in Pimlico after residents reported persistent meowing. Westminster City Council’s animal warden carried out the rescue. One kitten was put down, another has a heart condition, and the remaining two have been rehomed.
Westminster4 min readTrust 64 · Craft 80 · Hype 30- Crime & Safety · Westminster
Met officer Timothy Fory sentenced for stalking ex-girlfriend Stephanie Lane
A Metropolitan Police officer, formerly with the Directorate of Professional Standards, has been sentenced for stalking his ex-girlfriend. Timothy Fory, 34, received a 12-month community order, 150 hours of unpaid work and a five-year restraining order. He will face an accelerated misconduct hearing.
Westminster5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 15 
Council & Politics · WestminsterWestminster licensing plan keeps standing drinking but seeks more seating
Westminster City Council’s draft licensing policy, open for consultation until 11 August 2026, proposes more seating in bars and restaurants to discourage excessive drunkenness. The council insists it will not ban standing drinking, despite reports suggesting otherwise. Residents and businesses remain divided over the impact on Soho’s nightlife.
Westminster5 min readTrust 78 · Craft 95 · Hype 45
Property & Planning · WestminsterCharing Cross office block to gain 35,000 sq m retrofit
Plans to refurbish the 1991 office block above Charing Cross Station have been submitted to Westminster Council. The scheme would retain 90% of the structure while adding rooftop pavilions and improving Villiers Street for pedestrians and retailers.
Westminster5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 83 · Hype 20
Council & Politics · WestminsterWestminster Council proposes Soho pub rules to curb standing drinkers
Westminster Council has proposed new licensing rules for Soho pubs to limit standing drinkers, citing safety concerns. The draft policy includes stricter opening times and a Cumulative Impact Zone for the West End. The council claims the Met Police’s objections are the biggest barrier to nightlife in the area.
Westminster5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 83 · Hype 21
Also affecting Westminster
Borough-wide and national stories that name Westminster or bear directly on it.
Council & Politics · LondonTwo London men charged over plot to aid Iran near RAF Fairford
Two London residents, Mohmed Abdulkarim and Nouman Essghir, have been charged with assisting Iran’s intelligence service after arrests near RAF Fairford. A dual‑national was released on bail and five other men remain under bail conditions while the investigation continues.
London2 min readTrust 60 · Craft 60 · Hype 40
Local News · City of LondonOxford Street section pedestrianised from Monday
A significant section of Oxford Street, between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, has been pedestrianised. The move aims to revitalise the area, boost economic growth, and create a greener environment, though some concerns about traffic diversion have been raised.
City of London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 60 · Hype 40- Council & Politics · London
Government pledges £432m to tackle rough sleeping
The UK government is allocating an additional £432 million to address rough sleeping, bringing total investment to £874 million. The funding, to be confirmed in the Budget, will support outreach, emergency accommodation and longer-term housing until the end of the current Parliament.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 80 · Hype 25 
Transport & TfL · LondonTfL asset backlog costs Londoners 830,000 hours in delays
Transport for London's infrastructure is facing a £6.5 billion renewals backlog, leading to hundreds of thousands of hours lost by commuters annually due to delays. The situation is projected to worsen without significant investment.
London4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 95 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · City of LondonGian Chilet Ostolaza barred from central London after two year prison term
Gian Chilet Ostolaza, 46, was sentenced to two years and three months for each count of conspiracy to steal and given a five‑year criminal behaviour order that blocks him from the Square Mile, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Camden, after courts estimated his thefts cost about £76,000.
City of London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 85 · Hype 35- Council & Politics · London
Four London boroughs submit revised funding bids as Fair Funding Review 2.0 threatens up to 58% cuts
Leaders of Wandsworth, Richmond, Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea councils handed revised funding proposals to the Treasury on Thursday. The Fair Funding Review 2.0 could cut their central grants by 40‑58% by 2029, prompting Wandsworth to propose a 94% tax rise and the closure of its cost‑of‑living reserve.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 30 - Council & Politics · London
Wandsworth, Richmond, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster face up to £108m funding cuts
Four London boroughs will lose between 40 and 58 percent of central funding by 2030. Leaders of Wandsworth, Richmond, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster handed alternative proposals to the Treasury on 22 October 2026, outlining tax rises and service cuts to meet the shortfall.
London3 min readTrust 76 · Craft 95 · Hype 32 
Council & Politics · CamdenCamden Council will appoint James Slater as leader on 16 November
James Slater is set to become Camden Council leader after a full‑council vote on 16 November 2026. The decision follows Sagal Abdi‑Wali’s election as MP for Holborn and St Pancras on 12 October, where she beat Green leader Zack Polanski by 12 points. Labour’s majority on the 30‑seat council makes Slater’s appointment virtually certain.
Camden3 min readTrust 56 · Craft 95 · Hype 12- Crime & Safety · London
Southwark records most burglaries as London figures fall
Southwark recorded the highest number of burglaries in London in September 2026, with 224 incidents. This is almost six times the 39 recorded in Kingston upon Thames. Across the capital, 3,829 burglaries were logged, a 3.9% decrease over the previous 12 months. Five boroughs shared the highest burglary rate per capita.
London2 min readTrust 62 · Craft 38 · Hype 70 
Crime & Safety · LondonGang jailed for £137,000 watch robbery in Mayfair
An average of £1 million worth of watches are stolen in the West End each month. Three men have been sentenced for the theft of a £137,000 Richard Mille watch in Mayfair.
London4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Council & Politics · LondonKey workers could get subsidised homes under mayoral hopeful's plan
Mayoral hopeful Festus Akinbusoye has proposed a plan to offer subsidised housing for Metropolitan Police officers and other key workers for the first three years of their careers in London. The proposal aims to address high rental costs pushing essential staff out of the capital.
London3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 80 · Hype 28
Business · LondonLondon loses 172 pubs between 2020 and 2025
London has seen a net loss of 172 pubs between 2020 and 2025, a reduction of 4.7 per cent. The British Beer and Pub Association warns these closures could lead to around 5,000 job losses across the industry.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 35
Council & Politics · LondonMPs to debate petition to rejoin EU
A petition signed by more than 110,000 people calling for the UK to rejoin the European Union will be debated by MPs. The debate is scheduled to take place in Westminster Hall on Monday.
London3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 72 · Hype 35
Crime & Safety · LondonArrests made at pro-Palestine protest in central London
Several arrests were made during a pro-Palestine protest in central London on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police detained individuals on suspicion of criminal damage after they climbed the Battle of Britain memorial, and others for displaying support for a proscribed organisation. Conditions were imposed on the march route and timings.
London3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Local News · City of LondonThousands march in London amid protest conditions
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters gathered on the Embankment for a march through central London. The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions on both this event and a counter-protest, citing potential for disruption and the proximity to the anniversary of the terror attack on Israel.
City of London3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 75 · Hype 45
Council & Politics · Kensington & ChelseaKensington and Chelsea ends school abuse training amid £108m cuts
Kensington and Chelsea Council has ended a £1.14 million contract for domestic abuse training for school staff. The decision, part of £108 million in expected funding cuts over four years, has drawn criticism for potentially endangering vulnerable children.
Kensington & Chelsea3 min readTrust 68 · Craft 80 · Hype 32
Council & Politics · LondonNational March for Palestine: Route and police conditions set
The National March for Palestine is scheduled for Saturday, 10 October 2026, in central London. Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the event is expected to draw around 10,000 participants. The Metropolitan Police will deploy several hundred officers and has announced conditions under the Public Order Act.
London3 min readTrust 66 · Craft 95 · Hype 12
Council & Politics · LondonCleverly vows to oppose "anti-London" government decisions
Conservative mayoral hopeful James Cleverly has pledged to resist any "anti-London" decisions made by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Cleverly, one of four Tories seeking the party's nomination for the 2028 London mayoral election, also criticised current Mayor Sadiq Khan for his perceived lack of opposition to government policies impacting the city.
London4 min readTrust 40 · Craft 60 · Hype 40
Crime & Safety · All LondonTwo Iranians charged with terrorism offences
Two Iranian nationals, Salam Ahmandyan and Rahman Salehi, have been charged with terrorism offences following a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation. The charges include acquiring instructions for making explosive devices and researching potential targets, with the plot believed to have targeted the Jewish community in Manchester.
All London3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 70 · Hype 45
Council & Politics · CamdenLabour favoured to keep Holborn & St Pancras seat as Greens brace for by‑election test
The Holborn & St Pancras by‑election on 8 October sees Labour’s Sagal Abdi‑Wali leading the field. Green leader Zack Polanski faces a steep challenge despite the party’s recent gains in six London boroughs. A YouGov poll predicts no Green MPs in the capital if a general election were called tomorrow.
Camden4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 79 · Hype 55