A City That Works

Organised theft, verbal abuse, and direct violence against retail staff is not just shoplifting.

With shop workers facing threats, intimidation, and assault on a daily basis, when did stealing from a store become so dangerously normalised, and why is retail crime still routinely dismissed as a victimless offence?

As shop theft hits 20-year highs nationally, a pressing question emerges: how can police, businesses, and local leaders dismantle the culture of impunity surrounding store theft and protect frontline workers without compromising the open, welcoming nature of our high streets?

In this fifth episode of A City That Works - the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London - host Diana Beech is joined by Professor Emmeline Taylor (Professor of Criminology at City St George's and presenter of the Retail Crime Uncovered podcast) and Tijs Broeke (Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board). Aiming to bring research, policy, and practice together to ensure the City of London continues to thrive, they unpack the true scale of retail crime and why the Square Mile’s targeted hotspot policing is delivering outcome rates double the national average. From the lucrative theft of everyday products like chocolate to the complex legal and ethical questions surrounding live facial recognition and AI, they challenge us to look beyond simplistic headlines and confront the realities facing our high streets.

Moving beyond superficial fixes, this episode explores the profound psychological toll on retail staff, the hidden costs passed down to honest consumers, and the essential role of cross-sector partnerships in tackling underlying social drivers like addiction and poverty. By examining how better technology and swift enforcement can rebuild public confidence, this discussion provides a rigorous, cross-sector perspective on ensuring the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it.

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Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.

You can access a transcript of this conversation here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Episode Credits

Presenter: Diana Beech, Director of The Finsbury Institute at City St George's

Guests: Emmeline Taylor and Tijs Broeke

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts

Music: Indie House - Modern City, Sonican from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does Andy Burnham’s drive to decentralise government and devolve more power to the regions leave the City of London? Can policymakers truly spread growth to every postcode without killing the golden goose of London’s global financial status?

While London and the southeast remain the nation's sole net tax contributors, the push toward regional rebalancing forces a critical reflection: should empowering the regions be seen as a threat to the capital, or as the essential key to long-term national resilience?

In this fourth episode of A City That Works - the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London - host Diana Beech is joined by Professor Charles Lees (Executive Dean and Professor of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George's) and Dr Nick Bowes (Partner and Managing Director of Insight and Public Affairs at LCA). Aiming to bring research, policy, and practice together to ensure the City continues to thrive amid political reshuffling, shifting economic priorities, and new industrial strategies, they unpack the dynamic tension between national decentralisation and capital prosperity. Reminding us that the City doesn't survive for a millennium without constantly adapting, they examine everything from high-value manufacturing and green energy to multi-tier European governance models, challenging us to rethink how power, capital, and public sentiment interact across the UK.

Moving beyond political rhetoric, this episode explores the vital, often overlooked dynamics of regional economic growth, the housing and rent burdens facing younger voters, and the urgent need to rebuild trust in the higher education sector. By examining the political landmines of student debt and charting a pragmatic roadmap toward a balanced, collaborative economy, this discussion provides a rigorous, cross-sector perspective on ensuring the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it.

Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.  

You can access a transcript of this conversation here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.  

Episode Credits 

Presenter: Diana Beech, Director of The Finsbury Institute at City St George's

Guests: Charles Lees and Nick Bowes

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts

Music: Indie House - Modern City, Sonican from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we think of a city’s critical infrastructure, our minds naturally drift to visible networks like railways, roads, and power grids. But in an era where the fluffy innocence of "the cloud" translates into massive, high-impact physical data centres, shouldn't we view digital systems with the same material urgency?

With the UK government’s landmark decision to ban social media for under-16s exposing a stark pacing gap between lightning-fast technological development and decades-late legislation, a pressing question emerges: can policymakers truly strike a balance between protecting citizens and fostering innovation, or are national solutions fundamentally toothless against global tech giants?

In this third episode of A City That Works - the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London - host Diana Beech is joined by Adham Harker (Senior Associate in Media and Communications Law at Brett Wilson) and Dr Elinor Carmi (Senior Lecturer in Data Politics and Social Justice at City St George's). Aiming to bring research, policy, and practice together to ensure the City of London continues to thrive amid an era of profound change, technological disruption, and social transformation, they unpack the complex friction between global digital power and local community sovereignty. From the impassioned community resistance against data centres in Brick Lane to the sobering national security vulnerabilities of sub-surface fibre optic cables in Tower Hamlets, they challenge us to look beneath the surface of our digital metropolis.

Moving beyond the fear of cyber threats, this episode explores the vital, often overlooked roles of digital inclusion, media literacy, and the human workers who quietly maintain our tech infrastructure. By tackling the commercial incentives behind fraudulent advertising and charting a hopeful roadmap towards a safer-by-design technological framework for 2035, this discussion provides a rigorous, cross-sector perspective on ensuring the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it.

Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.  

You can access a transcript of this conversation here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.  

Episode Credits 

Presenter: Diana Beech, Director of The Finsbury Institute at City St George's

Guests: Elinor Carmi and Adham Harker

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts

Music: Indie House - Modern City, Sonican from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can a global city survive in an age of de-globalisation, or does its fluid, amorphous nature make it resilient to the threats on the horizon? Can the UK bridge the venture capital gap to scale its brightest fintech innovations domestically, or will the next generation of finance be dominated by overseas superpowers?

In this second episode of A City That Works - the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London - host Diana Beech is joined by Kirsty Rutter (Director of Fintech Investment at Lloyds Banking Group) and Professor Keith Pilbeam (Professor of International Economics and Finance at City St George’s). Aiming to bring research, policy, and practice together to ensure the City of London continues to thrive during an era of profound economic uncertainty and technological disruption, they unpack the strengths and vulnerabilities of the City as a global financial hub, exploring how it must adapt to maintain its stellar reputation.

From the strategic development of a connected network of regional fintech hubs to the critical challenge of securing domestic scale-up capital, this episode explores the shifting dynamics between traditional banking and rapid fintech disruption. By examining the commercialisation of university research, the infrastructure of artificial intelligence, and the market adaptation driving fintech investment, this discussion provides a rigorous, cross-sector roadmap for ensuring the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it.

Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.  

You can access a transcript of this conversation here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.  

Episode Credits 

Presenter: Diana Beech, Director of The Finsbury Institute at City St George's

Guests: Keith Pilbeam and Kirsty Rutter

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts

Music: Indie House - Modern City, Sonican from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can a global city survive in an age of deglobalisation, or does its fluid, amorphous nature make it resilient to the threats on the horizon? How do we protect the delicate ecosystems of talent, trade, and the rule of law that keep the Square Mile thriving?

In this inaugural episode of A City That Works - the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London - host Diana Beech is joined by Professor Michael Mainelli (Emeritus Professor of Commerce at Gresham College and former Lord Mayor of London) and Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein (President of City St George’s). Aiming to bring research, policy, and practice together to ensure the City of London continues to thrive, they challenge traditional definitions of the City of London, moving beyond geographic boundaries to explore the complex networks, systems, and global connections that define a modern powerhouse.

From the strategic role of universities as engines of global connectivity to the unexpected cultural indicators of a thriving tech hub, this episode provides a rigorous, cross-sector roadmap for ensuring the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it.

Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.  

You can access a transcript of this conversation here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.  

Episode Credits 

Presenter: Diana Beech, Director of The Finsbury Institute at City St George's

Guests: Sir Anthony Finkelstein and Michael Mainelli

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Editor: Alex Canner, Research Podcasts

Music: Indie House - Modern City, Sonican from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are living through an era of profound change, marked by economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and social transformation. How can we ensure the City of London remains competitive, safe, fair, and vibrant for all those who live, work, invest, and trade in it?

A City That Works is the brand-new podcast from The Finsbury Institute at City St George's, University of London, designed to answer that very question. Hosted by Diana Beech - Director of The Finsbury Institute and Professor & Assistant Vice-President of Policy & Government Affairs - this series serves as a strategic platform bringing world-leading research, public policy, and corporate practice together to ensure the City of London continues to thrive.

Across the coming episodes, we will unpack the complex challenges and critical opportunities shaping one of the world's most influential cities, engaging in rigorous conversations with foremost academics, policymakers, practitioners, and thinkers.

Hit follow or subscribe on your preferred podcast platform to join the conversation and ensure you never miss an episode.

Join the Conversation: If you have a comment on any of the themes discussed today, we would love to hear from you. Follow The Finsbury Institute on LinkedIn to share your thoughts or visit us on The Finsbury Institute website.

This series is proudly funded by the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George’s.  

You can access a transcript of this trailer here.

This is a Research Podcasts production.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.