Council Urged To Rethink Curbs On Nightlife In London's West End
Khan says the draft rules would favor residents over the 630,000 jobs and more than £21 billion tied to London nightlife.
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan launched a full-blown attack on Westminster council's licensing of the West End, accusing it of prioritizing a small number of residents over attempts to make London's nightlife the "best in the world."
- The West End Cumulative Impact Zone restricts opening times and new establishments across Soho, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Fitzrovia, and Mayfair, treating nightlife as a luxury rather than an essential asset.
- Khan argued the council's draft policy is "skewed towards the interests of a handful of highly vocal residents and councillors," with City Hall warning it would undermine support from UK Hospitality and the Music Venue Trust.
- Hitting back, Westminster City Council deputy leader Cllr Tim Barnes called the Mayor's stance a "relentless power grab," stating that mounting costs and policing cuts pose greater challenges than licensing restrictions.
- Westminster council currently consults City Hall under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, though the London Mayor will gain power to "call in" licensing matters this autumn, subject to legislative changes.
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Sadiq Khan demands major changes to West End licensing in row with Westminster Tories
The Mayor’s criticism comes after an earlier clash over Westminster council’s proposal to discourage drinking by people standing up outside licensed premises in Soho and other areas
Sky News UK
Great Yorkshire RadioCouncil urged to rethink curbs on nightlife in London's West End
The mayor of London wrote in a letter to Westminster City Council that its proposed licensing policy would undermine his efforts to support London's pubs by treating the city's nightlife as a "luxury".
Khan Urges Westminster To Scrap ‘Outdated’ Licensing Rules In Fresh Nightlife Row - CLH News: Caterer, Licensee and Hotelier News - News for Pubs, Bars, Hotels and Restaurants
Share Post Share Email The Mayor of London has called on Westminster City Council to abandon a raft of proposed licensing restrictions, intensifying a dispute over the future of nightlife in the capital’s West End. Sir Sadiq Khan has written to the Conservative-run council demanding it drop plans that would tighten controls on pubs, bars and clubs across Soho and the wider West End, arguing the approach runs counter to efforts to grow London’s n…
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