Mayor Johnson said his team “are working hard to help all London’s businesses so that they can weather the inevitable economic downturn” and promised that “London’s Asian business community which supports over 200,000 jobs will be a major focus of our work.”

London’s two most senior politicians were joined by Michael Geoghegan, Group Chief Executive of HSBC, who sponsored the reception as well as Tony Sarin, Chair of the Asian Business Association and Cobra Beer Chairman, Lord Karan Bilimoria.

Mr Geoghegan commented: “with nearly 2.5 million people in the UK having Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan origins, and 10 per cent of the UK’s GDP generated by Asian businesses, the contribution of this community is essential to the UK economy.”

The Mayor has promised to set out a detailed action plan for the capital’s economy next month.

City Hall says Johnson is considering a range of measures including “bringing forward large scale infrastructure investment projects to help secure London jobs” and making it easier for small companies to bid for contracts with the Greater London Authority.

The announcement comes after former Mayor Ken Livingstone published an eight point recovery plan and called on his successor to implement it “immediately”.

In a statement issued this morning Mayor Johnson said “Sitting back is not, and never was, an option and my team and I are redoubling our efforts to sell the benefits of London to the rest of the world.”

“Although we might be in for a bumpy ride, if we handle this right, we can come out of the slump in a stronger position than before. London is the world’s greatest city, and I am determined it will remain so.”

The Mayor also stressed that “London retains the many strengths that propelled it to becoming a world leader not just in financial services, but in media, fashion and high technology.”

Responding to the news, Green party Assembly Member Darren Johnson said “the Mayor’s Economic Recovery plan seems more oriented towards defending City bankers than helping ordinary Londoners through the crunch or putting London’s economy on a long-term stable footing.”

The Assembly Member called for “a new Fares Fair campaign to cut the cost of travelling by public transport, and for energy bills to be slashed by making free insulation available to everyone that needs it.”

The plan is expected to be published before Christmas.

Apple plan to convert a site at the corner of the Piazza and James Street into 6235m2 of office space and a new store. In keeping with other Apple stores including the nearby Regent Street branch, the 1870s building will get a dramatic makeover including timber floors and a glass staircase.

Cllr Robert Davis, Westminster City Council’s Deputy Leader, who chaired the planning hearing, said: “It is a testament to the strength of the West End that one of the world’s biggest brands is making Covent Garden the home of its European headquarters.

Licensed retailers are also being reminded of their obligations which include ensuring staff do not sell fireworks to any person under 18. Trading Standards officers are also warning that it is illegal to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am.  

Barking and Dagenham Councillor Milton McKenzie, executive member for consumer protection, said “fireworks really help the night go with a bang” but warned that “traders must also take heed that we will crack down on anyone selling fireworks to underage people or trading without the proper license.” 

Most local councils hold public fireworks displays on November 5th, details can be obtained from your local Town Hall. 

The Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) says the approved business case includes a  range of redevelopment options, all of them based on providing a Market with an increased trading area of up to 540,000 sq ft, which will now be explored further.

The go-ahead was given by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn who said the market authority “have worked extremely hard to produce comprehensive plans for a new site for their tenants. We look forward to working closely with CGMA as they start to deliver a Market which will continue to play a crucial role in London’s food chain.”

Responding to the decision Baroness Brenda Dean, Chairman of Covent Garden Market Authority said: “The Board and I are delighted that we have the full backing of the Government to move on – but our work does not stop here. Now we move on to the next stage of seeking a Private Development Partner to work with us. We are committed to providing a new facility for our tenants here at Nine Elms which will continue to be the largest and best known fresh produce wholesale market in the UK.”

The news has also been welcomed by Wandsworth council which says the market “needs to expand and diversify but it can only do this by making better use of its sprawling site and releasing surplus land for new development.”

Council leader Edward Lister added: “Although current economic conditions could not be worse, the market occupies a key location in Nine Elms alongside a number of other important sites which are attracting considerable interest from developers. There is no other area so close to central London which offers the scale of regeneration opportunities now emerging at Nine Elms.” 

Wandsworth is working to encourage new development in the Nine Elms regeneration area. Last week the US Embassy announced it was moving into the five-acre Jack Barclay’s site in Nine Elms Lane and the owners of  Battersea Power Station have been consulting on plans for their site which includes a proposal for a Northern Line extension from Kennington.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night airport bosses said the decision “recognises the airport’s importance in the community, its contribution to the local economy and the increased number of jobs that will become available to local residents as a result of our growth.”

Under the terms of the planning application there will be no changes to current operating hours. The airport prides itself on a policy of “community engagement” and says almost 30% of staff live in the borough of Newham. 

However critics of the scheme have previously warned that the proposals would lead to excessive noise levels.

Work on the first in Great Suffolk Street has recently been completed with arches in  Chancel Street and Burrell Street also due for redevelopment. Network Rail says the work will bring a brighter and more people friendly feel to the area.

Mick Martin, Director of Commercial Property for Network Rail said: “The Southbank is undergoing a real renaissance and our investment will see us becoming part of it. The renovation will improve the look and feel of the arches and deliver a modern, buzzing office environment, fitting to the new Southbank. There is of course a double win with this investment - not only does the local area benefit from regeneration but the commercial return goes back into funding improvements to the railway.”

Creation of the body, intended to ensure the capital remains “one of the foremost global cities in which to do business“ and chaired by WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell, was announced by the Mayor last month. 

Johnson said yesterday’s meeting had “exceeded my expectations and I go away with some excellent and thought provoking ideas that I and my team will certainly use as we develop policies that will secure London as a number one destination to live, work and visit.”

Membership of the council includes business leaders from a number of well known companies including British Airways CEO Willie Walsh, Neville Isdell, Chairman of the Coca Cola Company and Financial Times  Editor Lionel Barber.

In January former Mayor Ken Livingstone announced he had appointed Sorrell to head up an ‘International Council of Business Advisers’.  When asked about the similarity between the two announcements a City Hall spokesperson told MayorWatch the council announced today “has a different focus to the one envisaged under the previous mayor, which was to look at maximising business opportunities for the 2012 Olympics.”

The spokesperson said Mayor Johnson and Sir Martin “have agreed the focus will be broader, on maintaining London’s status as a top world city.”

In a statement issued Sunday, Mayor Johnson said the capital was “widely seen one of the foremost global cities in which to do business” and committed himself and the council to ensuring “that it maintains and build on this position.”

Mayor Johnson said he was “delighted that Sir Martin agreed to set up and Chair the first meeting of this extraordinary group of international business leaders and equally delighted that they wanted to be part of the process for making our city even better. That they accepted the invitation to serve on the Council says so much about London.”

Sorrell said: “IBAC London will be challenged with providing ideas and advice for the Mayor of London to help develop London’s economic and business policy over the years to come.”

“I am delighted to have been asked to be the inaugural Chair at such an important time for London, with just four years to go before the 2012 Olympic Games. A successful Games is clearly of enormous importance to London and London’s business. I hope IBAC London can play a major part in advising the Mayor on how this can be achieved.”

The ‘Boost Your Business: Supply Bromley’ event on 25th September is being organised by Bromley Council and Supply London and includes seminars and training workshops.

“This is a great opportunity for local businesses to generate new sales and benefit from the business support advice on hand. The Council wants to boost local businesses and the economy; this event will help create and protect local jobs. Sourcing goods and services locally also reduces environmental impacts, it is a win win situation”, said Marc Hume, Director of Renewal and Recreation, London Borough of Bromley.

The event works by bringing together buyers from the Council’s key contractors, who all have a large annual spend over a wide variety of goods and services and are committed to local procurement, with local Bromley based suppliers.

In a reversal of the traditional exhibition it is the buyers not suppliers who have stands. Suppliers are given a list of buyers, detailing their purchasing requirements, and then select their own sales appointments. This means that local businesses will get guaranteed face to face appointments with buyers.

To book your place and for further information visit www.supplybromley.co.uk