Sadiq Khan has been given new powers which could see London pubs, clubs and bars open for longer this summer.
Following concerns that councils have been stifling London nightlife with early closing times, the Mayor is to be given “call in” powers that enable him to overrule a council decision to refuse to allow a pub, bar or restaurant permission to operate outside normal licensing hours.
Sadiq Khan said he expects to see a difference from this week and that the Chancellor and Prime Minister are “quite serious” in giving him the powers, which could also see more al fresco dining in London.
“Look at today in London. It’s hotter than Ibiza. Where’s the al fresco outdoor dining?” he told reporters.
If successful, these increased powers could be extended to other parts of the country, such as Greater Manchester or the West Midlands.
The decision follows concerns that London councils have been restricting the capital’s nightlife by rejecting applications for changes such as extended opening hours.
It follows the revelation that nearly half of Londoners have recently cut a night out short because there is nowhere else to go. The statistics, which came from a collaborative survey between YouGov and Little Door & Co, showed that 45 per cent of Londoners had recently called it a night before midnight despite wanting to stay out later.
Sadiq Khan told the PA news agency: “I think you’ll see a difference from today. Why? Because councils will know the Chancellor and the Prime Minister are quite serious in saying they will give me powers. Councils aren’t making the right call,” he said.
Music venues, pubs and bars that attract visitors and tourists are closing earlier than they would like due to “onerous licensing conditions”, he said.
“What’s important is that… councils understand that, if it’s the case that they aren’t giving permission, I’ll be calling their applications in. But I think you’ll see from today, hopefully, a change of attitude from councils.
“What we can’t have is a vocal minority of hyper-local residents stifling growth, stifling job creation, and stifling our economy.”
These powers will not be applied to all parts of London, but designated zones, he said, stressing that it is not a “one size fits all approach” for all London boroughs.
But he dismissed the idea of residents objecting to later opening times in places like Soho.
“Anybody who chose to live in Soho must understand the history of this area, surely. I mean Ronnie Scott’s has been here for a long time… many of these pubs were set up in Victorian times or Tudor times.”
The announcement comes at a time when confidence in the hospitality industry has hit its lowest point in two years as rising wage costs, national insurance contributions, and business rates hit the sector this month.
