Standing on the pavement drinking a pint as soon as the weather gets slightly warm is a beloved British tradition. But the sight of hundreds of punters soaking up some sun, beer in hand, could become rarer in one London borough. A new draft licensing policy from Westminster council – which oversees some of the capital’s most popular areas for grabbing a post-work or weekend pint, including Soho and the West End – suggests curtailing standing in and outside of pubs in favour of encouraging more sitting, to “discourage excessive drunkenness”.
The draft policy outlines a raft of changes that would apply to new licence applications and applications for major changes to existing licences. Westminster has more than 4000 licensed premises – more than any other local authority in the UK – and while the report acknowledges that “licensed premises can provide social and health benefits”, it also says “crime, antisocial behaviour and noise nuisance often occur as a result of poorly run premises, the cumulative impact of clusters of licensed venues, or the behaviour of patrons within the wider locality”.
Alongside outlining its desire to encourage “a more balanced range of venues that are less dominated by alcohol-led activities”, the report also sets out the council’s aim to encourage the provision of more seating, in place of “open bar space that caters for high volume vertical drinking … and requiring sales to be by waiter or waitress service only.”
In a post on Facebook mayor of London Sadiq Khan criticised the potential changes. “You can’t run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset. London’s hospitality and nightlife support jobs, culture and growth.”
Meanwhile, the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) encouraged the hospitality industry to engage with the policy during its consultation period. “We are concerned that these proposals begin to move licensing away from regulating outcomes and towards regulating how pubs are designed and how customers choose to socialise,” Michael Kill, NTIA’s CEO said in a statement. “The consultation does not demonstrate that standing with a drink, in itself, undermines the licensing objectives. Crime, disorder and public nuisance are matters of management, enforcement and responsible operation – not whether someone is standing at the bar or sitting at a table.”
However, Westminster City Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning Tim Barnes addressed the criticism in a statement, saying “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.”
Another element of the policy refers to the potential of a ban on opening new bars and pubs in what it calls the “cumulative impact zone”, which includes all of Soho and a large part of the West End. The policy says “The council will normally refuse any application made in respect of a premises located in the West End Cumulative Impact Zone that is a pub or bar, a fast food premises or a venue offering music, dancing and similar entertainment.”
The policy is currently in its consultation period, and Westminster council is accepting feedback until 5pm on August 9.
You can read the full draft policy and give feedback here.
