A furious row has erupted over plans to curb standing drinking in London’s famous nightlife districts, with Downing Street warning that packed pubs are “British life” and not a public nuisance.
Westminster Council has sparked backlash after proposing tighter controls on so-called “vertical drinking” in Soho and the West End as part of a new licensing policy aimed at reducing overcrowding and excessive drinking.
The draft guidance suggests that future licensing applications could face greater scrutiny if venues fail to show measures to reduce operating capacity. Options include more table service, improved crowd management and restrictions on large numbers of customers drinking while standing.
But the proposals have triggered accusations from hospitality figures and politicians that the council risks damaging one of Britain’s most iconic nightlife economies.
No10 entered the row on Thursday, warning against measures that could undermine pubs and bars struggling with rising costs.
“Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life and it is thousands of jobs,” a Downing Street spokesman said.
“The Prime Minister encourages local leaders to work with the industry so that pubs can continue to thrive.”
The intervention came after concerns from London’s hospitality sector that the measures could make it harder for venues to survive in an already challenging trading environment.
Sacha Lord, former Greater Manchester night-time economy adviser to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, described Westminster Council as “the most anti-hospitality council in the UK”.
He said the policy risked taking the sector “back to Covid times” by discouraging customers from ordering at bars and limiting traditional pub culture.
The Mayor of London’s office also criticised the proposals, describing them as evidence that restrictive approaches to licensing were failing to support businesses.
A spokesperson said: “At a time when venues need our support more than ever, the rules on licensing are stacked against them.”
Westminster Council leader Paul Swaddle insisted there was no plan to ban standing in pubs, accusing critics of misrepresenting the proposals.
The council said the policy was designed to prevent excessive crowding on pavements and reduce disruption in one of Europe’s busiest entertainment districts, rather than stop people enjoying a night out.
Councillor Tim Barnes, Westminster’s deputy leader for growth and planning, said the authority wanted Soho and the West End to remain vibrant, adding that claims of a standing ban were “utterly ludicrous”.
The controversy comes as Mr Burnham positions himself as a defender of Britain’s pubs, recently announcing a package of support including a 20 per cent business rates reduction for pubs, clubs and live music venues.
The clash highlights a growing tension between efforts to manage crowded city centres and the hospitality industry’s fight to preserve Britain’s traditional pub culture.
Leave a Comment