đź“Ł Culture Mile at LREF 2026: connectivity, culture and creating places that work
Culture Mile BID joined leaders from across London’s built environment at the London Real Estate Forum (LREF) 2026, exploring how stronger connections between people, places and sectors can support the capital’s continued growth.
Held at Guildhall on 16 September, this year’s LREF centred on Connectivity, looking at how London can strengthen its position as a globally connected, competitive and inclusive city in the face of challenges including climate change, technological change and evolving patterns of investment.
Representing Culture Mile across the day were CEO Aoife Leach; Director of Placemaking Rebecca Crofton; Board Member and PRP Architects Partner Angeli Ganoo-Fletcher; and Dr Julie Grail of The BIDs Business, Consultant to the Culture Mile BID Board.
The team spread across a wide ranging programme covering investment, infrastructure, public realm, retail, safety, planning, skills and the experience economy, with one message emerging particularly strongly – successful places depend on connections.
Connecting the pieces of the City
For Culture Mile, one of the most relevant discussions centred on creating a more walkable Square Mile. The importance of smaller routes and connections, the “capillaries” of the City, highlighted how individual developments can contribute to a wider network of streets, spaces and public realm, rather than being considered in isolation.
It was a theme picked up by Rebecca Crofton, who reflected on the challenge of connecting the many pieces of the City’s “jigsaw,” from capital investment and planning policy to clean, safe and walkable streets, transport and a more diverse mix of ground floor uses. For Culture Mile specifically, that raises important questions about how its historic streets and spaces can accommodate growing numbers of pedestrians and cyclists while becoming more accessible, welcoming and enjoyable.
Transport was another recurring theme, not simply as a means of moving people around London but as an enabler of investment, development and thriving communities.
Investing in Place and Partnership
Aoife Leach and Julie Grail joined senior representatives from BIDs, London boroughs, the City of London Corporation, Greater London Authority and other business partnerships for Opportunity London’s Investing in Place roundtable.
The discussion considered place based investment, innovative funding models and public-private partnerships, including the evolving role BIDs can play in creating resilient places and delivering long term benefits for businesses and communities. The value of collaboration and a more unified voice around investment opportunities was a key part of that conversation.
Elsewhere, Broadgate’s ten year transformation provided another useful lesson in long term place leadership. Julie highlighted its emphasis on trust, honesty and collaboration – principles which closely reflect the partnership approach at the heart of the BID model.
Culture as Critical Infrastructure
Perhaps the strongest message for Culture Mile was the increasingly important role of culture and experience in successful places.
Aoife reflected that culture ran through virtually every conversation she attended. From creative meanwhile uses and sustainable development to public realm, safe and welcoming visitor experiences and retail. Even where culture was not explicitly on the agenda, it repeatedly emerged as part of what makes London attractive to people, businesses and investors.
The day concluded with Enabling the Experience Economy: Culture as Critical Infrastructure, exploring how culture and experiences can support commercial performance, resilience and social value. Among the themes were designing places around experience, creating flexible buildings and spaces, and recognising the shared value that cultural uses can bring to developments and their surrounding neighbourhoods.
Bringing the learning back to the Culture Mile
The conversations at LREF have particular resonance as Culture Mile enters an important period of change. With the London Museum opening on 28 November, the area is on the cusp of a significant new chapter as a cultural and visitor destination.
The BID will continue to work with its businesses, cultural institutions, the City of London Corporation and wider partners to ensure that investment in buildings, streets, public spaces, culture and experiences adds up to something greater than the sum of its parts.
The takeaway from LREF was clear: connectivity is about much more than getting from A to B. It is about connecting people, businesses, culture, investment and place – and collaboration is what turns those connections into lasting value.
Thank you to the London Real Estate Forum and NLA teams, the speakers and everyone who shared ideas and conversations with the Culture Mile team throughout the day.