Dear Members, As we wrap up the final quarter of 2025, we want to take a moment to reflect on October, November, and December and to thank you for the energy, creativity, and care you continue to bring to downtown. The last few months of the year showed real momentum and reminded us how much impact our businesses have when we move forward together. That momentum was clear at our Annual General Meeting, where we were pleased to see strong attendance and meaningful engagement from members. Coming together to connect, reflect, and look ahead continues to be an important part of building a healthy and resilient downtown business community. Downtown for the Holidays was another highlight of the quarter and truly showcased the best of downtown. The carousel and horse and carriage were incredibly popular, bringing families and visitors into the core and creating memorable seasonal experiences. Our Holiday Window Contest added colour, creativity, and friendly competition to the streets. The People’s Choice contest alone saw more than 20,000 votes, with congratulations going to The Bread Bowl as this year’s winner. Staff and judges also toured 60 businesses to select the juried winners: • 1st Prize: Barney’s for the Jolly Elf and Frosty’s patio pop-ups • 2nd Prize: David E. White • 3rd Prize: From Mars The level of effort and imagination across the district was inspiring. From beautifully decorated storefronts to standout hospitality displays, it was great to see businesses leaning into the season. The friendly competition resulted in some of the best holiday displays we have seen to date, including the brilliantly decorated Richmond Row bars such as Barney’s, Jack Astor’s, Molly Bloom’s, and Winks. We look forward to building on this creativity and energy next year. Our downtown trails continued to perform strongly through the fall and early winter and remained popular with visitors. Signature moments like the Lighting of the Lights and New Year’s celebrations were busy and well attended, even with challenging weather. Holiday lighting, winter greenery in planters, and seasonal décor added brightness and colour throughout the core, helping downtown feel welcoming, vibrant, and festive. The final quarter also brought positive signals for business. We saw a record number of Downtown Dollar Gift Card sales, which means guaranteed dollars flowing back into local businesses in the months ahead. Our marketing efforts continued to grow as well, supported by strong partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, the City of London, and other key partners. These collaborations help bring more people downtown and support local businesses year round. As 2026 begins, it also offers a chance to reflect on the progress around us. New businesses continue to open, major infrastructure milestones like the completion of the downtown transit loop are coming into view, and the release of the City’s new Economic Strategy and Downtown Plan provides a clear framework for continued investment and collaboration. It is encouraging to see these plans recognize downtown as a key economic driver for the entire city and identify it as a priority for ongoing investment, growth, and long-term success. We are keeping the momentum going as we look ahead to the 2026 events planned for downtown. Our event sponsorship program is now accepting applications, and we look forward to supporting events that bring more than one million people downtown each year to celebrate, enjoy the festivities, and explore our neighborhoods and local businesses. If you are interested in learning more about what we do and helping shape what 2026 could bring, we will soon be accepting applications for new board members for the 2027-2031 term. With the upcoming release of the Economic Strategy, the Downtown Plan, and our own strategic plan, it is an exciting time to get involved. We hope the holiday season was successful for your business and that you were also able to enjoy some well-deserved time with family and loved ones. Thank you for everything you do to make downtown a vibrant, welcoming place to work, shop, and gather. We look forward to carrying this momentum forward together in 2026. We have also included a short attachment with helpful insights on downtown visitors, including where they’re coming from and what motivates them to visit. This data has been collected from multiple reputable sources and will continue to be available to us on an ongoing basis, allowing us to track trends over time. Our hope is that these insights give you a clearer picture of your customers and support your business planning, promotions, and marketing decisions as you look ahead to the year. Warm regards, Vicki Smith Interim Executive Director Downtown London

 

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