Residents Fear Area Is Becoming Unsafe Because of What Undocumented Migrants Do Every Day Near London’s Luxury Shops

A group of people has once again set up a camp in one of London’s wealthiest areas, raising concerns among local residents and business owners about crime and public safety during the busy summer tourist season.

The group, believed to be made up of Eastern European migrants, has pitched tents near Marble Arch and Hyde Park, an area surrounded by expensive homes, luxury hotels, and some of London’s busiest shopping streets. According to reports, some members of the group claim they have no identification documents and travel from Romania to London each year when tourist numbers are at their highest.

Throughout the day, members of the group can be seen sitting or lying around busy parts of Oxford Street and Park Lane. Some spend hours drinking alcohol, smoking, or gathering outside high-end shops as thousands of shoppers and tourists pass by. Their presence has become a familiar sight for many workers in the area.

Marble Arch has become their latest base. The neighbourhood is one of the capital’s most expensive, with homes valued at around £1.3 million on average, while Oxford Street attracts up to half a million visitors every day, making it one of the busiest shopping destinations in Europe.

As schools break up for the summer and more tourists arrive in London, local workers say the size of the group has started to grow once again. Some people working nearby claim the operation appears to be organised rather than random.

A barista working at a Pret A Manger on Oxford Street told reporters that the group seems to work in shifts, with different people taking over begging spots throughout the day. He claimed there are individuals who appear to supervise the others and assign different roles.

According to the worker, some members focus on begging while others are suspected of targeting shoppers through pickpocketing or shoplifting. He described the group as highly organised, saying each person appears to know exactly what they are expected to do.

The barista said the same woman often begins begging outside the café early in the morning before another person arrives later to replace her. He added that members of the group regularly come into the café for coffee and occasionally ask for free drinks. While he claimed they no longer steal from his workplace, he alleged that other nearby businesses have suffered thefts.

The camp is not new to Westminster. Similar encampments have appeared in previous years, forcing Westminster City Council and Transport for London (TfL) to spend thousands of pounds clearing the sites and preventing people from returning.

Transport for London reportedly spent around £37,000 over the past two summers on bailiffs and legal action to remove the camps from land under its control.

Security staff at the Marks & Spencer flagship store on Oxford Street also say members of the group have been banned from entering the shop following repeated thefts. One security guard claimed he had personally witnessed people attempting to steal large amounts of alcohol and food and said confrontations sometimes became aggressive when they were refused entry.

Reports suggest the latest group arrived around a month ago and has now grown to roughly 20 people. Many are said to sleep outside a supermarket, where staff have allowed them to place duvets around the entrance during the night.

Westminster City Council says it is aware of the situation and is working with partner organisations to deal with it. Councillor David Harvey, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said public spaces should not become permanent camps and stressed that behaviour causing concern to residents, businesses, or visitors would not be tolerated.

He said the council would continue offering support to vulnerable people, but where individuals repeatedly refuse help or engage in anti-social behaviour, enforcement action would be taken to keep the area’s streets, parks, and public spaces safe and accessible.

Transport for London also said sleeping rough on such a busy road network is dangerous. A spokesperson said outreach teams continue to offer support and accommodation to those sleeping rough, while making it clear that people who return to the site after being removed will face further action. TfL added that it is continuing to work closely with Westminster City Council to monitor the area and respond to any ongoing issues.