The council, which licenses more than 4,000 pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, is updating its Statement of Licensing Policy ahead of a 1 October deadline.
Join our new WhatsApp channel: The Morning Round-Up
Get the biggest pub trade stories straight to your phone. Listen to our one-minute daily news briefing and receive breaking news, exclusives and sector updates throughout the day. Remember to turn notifications on in the top right corner!
Its draft policy, published last month, prompted criticism after it encouraged more seated areas in licensed premises and referred to reducing opportunities for “vertical drinking”.
The council later insisted there was “not, and never has been” a plan to stop customers standing in pubs while drinking.
Policy backlash
The draft proposals were criticised by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who said Westminster could not run a world famous nightlife district with a “village hall mindset”.
Downing Street also pushed back against the proposals, stating: “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 council has now said it is taking feedback on board and will make technical licensing language clearer in the final policy.
Its earlier guidance said terms such as “vertical drinking” and “cumulative impact” had been used for more than ten years, but acknowledged some language could be confusing.
Policing and transport
Westminster has also called for greater support for the West End night time economy, including more visible policing, extended night bus services and night tube services on Thursdays.
Deputy leader Tim Barnes said: “Beyond disagreements over policy jargon there are serious issues acting as a drag on our hospitality industry. A lack of investment in policing has left the Met objecting to many licensing applications over public safety concerns.
“People struggle to get home from a night out when late night bus routes have been cut and overnight Tube services are non-existent during the week.
“We’ve spent the summer taking feedback from residents, the hospitality industry and visitors. We’ll take this on board and do our bit to support the hospitality industry but we need the mayor’s team to fund the services which make London a 24 hour city.”
A spokesperson for the mayor said the number of officers in the West End had doubled and said the night tube provided “a vital boost” for London’s night time economy.
The council said it would review its licensing policy each June and set up an expert advisory group.
