Pubs and punters have slammed proposals made by Westminster City Council to curb drinkers standing at Soho and West End pubs.
The central London council sparked fury when its new draft licensing policy recommended that more venues should reduce standing at pubs.
As it stands, a cumulative impact zone is in place across Soho, Covent, Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and parts of Fitzrovia and Mayfair. This designation allows the council to refuse applications for bars, clubs, and other licence applications on the basis that it could lead to more crime or public nuisance.
The new draft policy, which is under consultation, could mean that venues applying for licensing will need to “demonstrate meaningful reductions in actual operating capacity.”
This could include offering “enhanced dispersal measures”, offering table service, or restricting “vertical drinking.”
But the draft policy has been received badly by punters and pub owners.
The owner of Soho’s famous French House said the policy would lead to closures, redundancies, and loss of business.
Lesley Lewis, 71, who has owned the pub for 37 years, said the policy “will kill the whole business.”
“It will really finish us off. We rely on those people standing up with the rents and the rates put upon us. People want to enjoy themselves in Soho, they want to have a drink outside, they want to dance, they don’t want to sit down and just be where they are, they want to meet people and chat,” she said.
Ms Lewis added that punters would be persuaded to go to Camden instead, where it is more “licence friendly.”
Jan De Vries, general manager at Bradley’s Spanish Bar, suggested the council “wants everybody off the streets after 11pm.”
He said reducing “vertical drinking” would be the “nail in the coffin”, especially for independent pubs.
At Bradley’s, there are just 10 seats upstairs and 20 in the basement. Reducing vertical drinkers would just not be “viable”, Mr De Vries said.
Downing Street has weighed in on the row, insisting busy pubs full of people are “not a public nuisance”.
The Prime Minister has instead urged town hall chiefs to “work with” pub landlords.
A No10 spokesperson said: “Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life and it is thousands of jobs.
“The Government is devolving new licensing powers to the Mayor to help support pubs and nightlife.
“Soho did not become world famous by taking last orders early, switching the lights off at 10 o’clock.
“The Prime Minister encourages local leaders to work with the industry so that pubs can continue to thrive.”
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has publicly condemned Westminster City Council’s draft licensing policy.
He said in a post on X: “You can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset. London’s hospitality and nightlife support jobs, culture and growth.”
He added that new mayoral powers headed his way will allow mayors to block council decisions.
The draft licensing policy has also faced backlash from punters standing outside pubs in London on Thursday afternoon.
One punter called the proposal “idiotic.” She told the Standard: It’s a bit silly really if you ask me. It’s the whole tradition of Soho and the whole social aspect of it. They’re already struggling enough in terms of hospitality”
Another added: “It’s not an alcohol thing. It’s part of lapping up the atmosphere and adding to it.”
He said: “I think battling drunken and disorderly behaviour is absolutely fair play. I just wonder if there’s other fronts to be fighting right now.”
A third punter questioned why Oxford Street was being pedestrianised when Soho is overflowing with pedestrians.
Others said they imagined such policies would detract from British pub culture.
Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Local authorities should focus on proportionate, evidence-based and responsive licensing regimes that give responsible operators the freedom and flexibility to meet changing consumer expectations, diversify their offer and invest, as recognised in the Government’s National Licensing Policy Framework.
“Hospitality businesses continue to be under significant pressure and need urgent support to drive growth and investment.”
MP for Brent Dawn Butler joined the pile on in a social media post, writing: “This isn’t a draft policy, it’s a DAFT policy.
“Trying to stop people standing at the bar? London’s nightlife needs support, not more restrictions. Sadiq Khan is right to push back.”
Defending the plans, Paul Swaddle, the Conservative leader of Westminster City Council, insisted “there is no plan” to stop “vertical drinking” in his borough.
He said the policies are out for consultation.
His authority’s survey is due to close on Sunday August 9.
Cllr Tim Barnes, Westminster City Council deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, said: "It is utterly ludicrous to suggest the Council is planning to ‘ban’ people standing up in pubs. Suggesting otherwise is a wilful misreading of the policy proposals with clauses taken out of context.
"We want people to go out in the West End and have a good time. Our guidance is simply about encouraging venues to manage their customers so people don't pack onto pavements or excessive drinking doesn't disturb others passing by.
"The Cumulative Impact Zone is recognised as an area that has a high concentration of activity and particular policies exist for that in Westminster and the Mayor’s London-wider planning. There is a legal obligation to look at every application on its merits and we do just that, meaning we see new venues opening all the time.
“Again, there is little change here from the policy of previous administrations and we have seen new pubs and fast-food outlets open recently including a licence extension for the McDonald's on Leicester Square, which will now be open 24 hours despite objections from the Mayor’s police representatives.
"We are the country's largest planning authority with some 4,000 licensed venues. We reject less than 1.5 per cent of licence applications and there is a strong desire to see thriving, profitable, venues across Westminster.
"As we have made clear we are happy to work with the Mayor of London on licensing and have just launched our own campaign to promote nights out in Soho."
