Making Greenwich the place to visit, work and do business
This theme is made up of 3 outcomes:
- more businesses and good quality jobs that benefit our communities
- we have thriving town centres, local centres and shopping parades
- our heritage, cultural and creative sector remains world class, and both the borough and the people who live here see more of the benefit
What we want to achieve
Royal Greenwich is one of London's leading cultural, heritage and visitor destinations. It's home to:
- a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- world-class attractions
- historic markets
- vibrant high streets
- a thriving creative sector
Visitors contribute to the economy, support local businesses, create jobs and attract investment, creating opportunity for residents.
We will protect and enhance our history and make sure our culture, heritage and creativity continue to drive inclusive growth, prosperity and wellbeing.
Our vision is for culture and creativity to be part of everyday life in every part of the borough, not just our famous landmarks. We want residents to be makers and performers as well as audiences, and for our town centres to be lively, welcoming places by day and by night.
Our town centres sit at the heart of local communities, drawing people together and shaping local identity. They are places where residents access services and opportunities, visitors experience the distinct character of Royal Greenwich, and businesses invest.
Our progress so far
We're building on the momentum of our recent transformation of Beresford Square and Cutty Sark Gardens and investing a further £2.1 million in our public spaces. As part of this investment, we'll make sure Eltham, Greenwich and Woolwich are clean, safe and vibrant.
We will coordinate with businesses, town centre partnerships, proposed Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), cultural organisations and residents. This will help to create centres that create inclusive growth and meet the needs of existing and future communities.
While Royal Greenwich continues to attract investment and development, not all residents benefit from economic growth.
What's next
Economic opportuntiy
In Royal Greenwich, 6.1% of people are unemployed. There are also more 16 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training. This rose to 12% across London at the end of 2025.
By generating economic opportunity for residents and businesses across the borough, we can work to reverse this trend.
Our vision for 2050 is that:
- businesses choose to start, grow and stay in Greenwich
- people of every age can find good work that pays fairly, including in jobs and industries that do not yet exist
- every neighbourhood, from Thamesmead to Eltham, gets its share of the growth
- young people get the jobs, skills and training they need to live a good life through our Jobs of the Future programme
Over 130 local employers pay the London Living Wage and the number of jobs paid below this has fallen to 15%. We want to build on this through our Jobs of the Future Programme which will help:
- young people access employment opportunities
- young people to get support to move into higher-paid work
- businesses access the talent they need.
In connecting people, place and prosperity, we will make sure Royal Greenwich is a borough where businesses can grow, and residents benefits from its economic success.
Economic growth
We will grow the local co-operative economy by:
- supporting new and existing co-operative businesses
- embedding co-operative principles in social care
- backing community energy
We will align with the national ambition to double the UK's co-operative sector and making sure more residents have a stake in the businesses and services they rely on.
We will make sure that economic growth:
- creates lasting benefits for local people
- supports local supply chains
- attracts investment that contributes to the long-term prosperity of the borough.
We'll use partnerships across London to maximise opportunities for investment, skills and economic development that benefit residents and businesses.