Westminster set to keep ‘vertical drinking’ policy despite backlash

The council has published revised licensing policy documents following earlier criticism from hospitality businesses, Downing Street and London mayor Sadiq Khan.

The papers, published on 7 September and due for determination on 15 September, follow a summer consultation on Westminster’s Statement of Licensing Policy, which must be updated by 1 October.

According to The Guardian, 81% of consultation respondents disagreed with Westminster’s cumulative impact zone and 84% said the policy would be bad for business.

The cumulative impact zone means applications for new pubs and bars in parts of the West End are normally refused unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The council’s revised policy continues to encourage more seating and table service in premises serving alcohol, rather than open bar space for high volume standing trade.

The move follows Westminster’s statement earlier this week that it would better explain technical terms such as “vertical drinking” and “cumulative impact” following feedback from residents, visitors and businesses.

Fresh criticism

Khan accused Westminster of “breathtaking arrogance” and said the council was “ignoring” those who opposed the plans.

He told The Guardian: “By ignoring all those who oppose their plans and viewing hospitality in the heart of our capital city as a problem, they are letting down businesses, residents and our economy.

The mayor said London’s hospitality and nightlife sectors were vital to the capital’s economy and backed Government plans to give him new powers to call in some local licensing decisions.

The draft policy had previously been criticised by Downing Street, which said busy pubs full of people talking was “not a public nuisance” but “British life”.

Zoe Adjey, senior lecturer in hospitality and events management at the University of East London, said the consultation response should concern the sector.

She said: “The policy went out for consultation, the sector responded overwhelmingly against it, and the council proceeded anyway. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan is right to call that arrogance.”

Adjey said Westminster’s argument around policing did not explain “why the answer is to restrict how people are served a pint”.

She added: “The Government has announced business rates support for pubs to keep them viable. A council actively narrowing how those same venues can operate risks undoing that support before it has had a chance to work.”

Council response

Westminster has previously insisted there was “not, and never has been” a plan to stop customers standing in pubs while drinking.

The council has said the wider issue is policing and public safety, and has called for more support for the West End night-time economy.

Westminster 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.”

The council has called on the mayor to reverse cuts to the Met’s licensing team, increase visible policing across the West End, extend night buses in central London and introduce Night Tube services on Thursdays.

Westminster licenses more than 4,000 pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, including more than 1,000 in the West End across Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden.