West End Of London

Report calls for licensing clarity in London's West End

02-May-2013 By Mark Wingett

The licensing policy for London’s West End should make a clear distinction between venues that trade in the “evening” - until about midnight – and late-night drinking outlets, and give more flexibility around licence conditions to the former.

Exclusive: Westminster Council forces Newman Arms pub to "serve people slowly" in "bizarre" move

04-Oct-2012 By Phil Mellows

A decision by Westminster City Council to force a pub to “serve people slowly” has been branded “dangerous” and “bizarre”.

Novus completes Balls Brothers acquisition

15-Mar-2011 By Lorraine Heller

Restaurant and bar operator Novus Leisure has acquired Balls Brothers and Lewis & Clarke out of administration.

Exclusive: Novus set to buy Balls Brothers

25-Jan-2011 By The PMA Team and Mark Stretton

Novus Leisure is understood to be in exclusive negotiations to buy Balls Brothers, the London wine bar business currently in administration.

Watford to ban new off-licences

16-Sep-2010 By James Wilmore

More evidence of councils planning to ban new off-licences opening has emerged, in the wake of radical plans by Westminster. Watford Borough Council...

Westminster plans radical off-trade clampdown

09-Sep-2010 By James Wilmore

The UK's largest licensing authority is planning a freeze on off-trade licences and a curb on the sale of small bottles of spirits, after recognising...

London crime continues to drop following Licensing Act

15-Apr-2009

Alcohol-related crime in London's West End is continuing to fall since the new licensing regime came into place in 2005. New figures from Westminster...

Novus Leisure's Xmas boosted by Tiger Tiger shindigs

09-Jan-2009 By Hamish Champ

Parties and event nights helped Tiger Tiger bar operator Novus Leisure post uninvested like-for-like sales growth of 2.9 per cent over Christmas and...

HeyJo smoke rebel found guilty

15-May-2008 By James Wilmore

Smoke ban rebel Dave West is facing a bill of nearly £8,000 after being found guilty of flouting the legislation. Multi-millionaire West, licensee...

Novus Buys Seven Soho Sites

18-Mar-2008 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Novus Leisure is to acquire the lions share of Soho Clubs & Bars in a deal valued at between £8m and £10m. The group is to buy seven London venues from administrators Kroll.

Novus looks to buy Soho Clubs & Bars

14-Feb-2008 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report

Novus Leisure, the bar operator led by Steve Richards, has entered exclusive negotiations to buy Soho Clubs & Bars for between £7m and £10m,...

Defeat for Westminster's pub Stress Zone

02-Jan-2008 By John Harrington

Another bar operator has won an appeal against the council's controversial policy of restricting open hours in busy areas

Westminster sticks to core hours policy

23-Aug-2007 By John Harrington john.harrington@william-reed.co.u

Westminster City Council is sticking by its controversial policy of restricting opening hours at pubs and clubs while making it easier for...

London bar gets extra hours in landmark case

26-Jun-2007 By James Wilmore

A landmark licensing case has seen a London bar granted extended hours in the West End stress area. Fudge, on Bear Street, just off Leicester Square,...

Westminster loses face - and cash

01-Mar-2007

Westminster City Council, it seems, will go to any lengths to defend its "core hours" policy for stress areas in London - even at great expense to...

Summit Clubs widens scale

14-Dec-2006 By The PMA Team

Former Soho Clubs and Bars boss Jeremy Gordeno has made five additions to his new nightclub company Summit Clubs. Gordeno, who already operates six...

Candy bar owner speaks out

27-Jun-2006

Soho bar owner Kim Lucas claims the delay in her case against Westminster City Council has cost her £40,000. The Candy Bar had its licensing appeal...

Westminster to extend controversial 'stress zones'

09-Mar-2006 By Iain O'Neil

Morning Advertiser legal expert fears City Council is attempting to circumvent the Licensing Act.

Licensing reform WILL create staggered closing

10-Nov-2005

by Ewan Turney Pubs and bars will close at staggered times throughout the night under the new licensing regime, the Department For Culture, Media...

West End licensing authority accused of riding roughshod ove

06-Oct-2005

by MA News Team Furious pub operators have accused Westminster Council of ignoring the basic tenets of the Licensing Act as it deals with hundreds of...

Urbium rolls out mini-Tiger Tigers

23-Feb-2005

Boosted by its move into the City of London, night-time operator Urbium is to roll-out smaller format Tiger Tiger venues over the next three...

Urbium takes on West End outlet

07-Oct-2004

Urbium has bought Strawberry Moons located at Heddon Street (off Regent Street) in London's West End for £1.45m. Executive chairman John Conlan...

Westminster rapped over licensing policy

27-May-2004

Westminster Council has been forced to rethink its blanket-ban approach to new licences in the busiest parts of London after a rap on the knuckles...

Westminster aims to

24-Apr-2003

clean up' Chinatown by Claire Hu Westminster City Council has launched a draft plan for London's Chinatown which aims to deter poor quality bars...

Westminster set

23-Jan-2003

to thwart reform by The PMA Team Controversial Westminster City Council has given its first indication of how it will side-step the Government's...

Westminster City Council takes action in street clean-up campaign

13-Dec-2002

A second person has been prosecuted as a result of Westminster City Council's drive against people using the streets as a toilet.A man was fined £50...

Licensees' anger at rumours Westminster will be classed top LA

05-Dec-2002

Rumours that Westminster Council is to be crowned one of the top local authorities in the country has angered licensees in central London.Government...

Steak Houses up for sale

14-Oct-2002

A package of prime West End sites is up for grabs after restaurant brands Aberdeen Steak House and Angus Steak House went into administration.A...

Regent walks away from Leicester Square

19-Aug-2002

Regent Inns has walked away from the vast Leicester Square site that it planned to develop into a showcase for its retail brands.Westminster Council...

Westminster City Council's restriction of late licences challenged in High Court

12-Jun-2002

Westminster City Council's decision to restrict late licences in key areas of the capital has been branded "ambiguous" and "inconsistent" by a High...

Westminster council hits out at 'heavy-handed' PEL criticism

09-May-2002

Westminster City Council has hit back at claims that it is being "heavy-handed" in its enforcement of entertainment licensing.Licensees and pub...

Westminster council attacked by BiSL as late-opening row continues

13-Mar-2002

Westminster City Council has come under fresh attack for refusing to grant new licences for pubs and bars.The chief executive of Business in Sport...

The late late blow

29-Nov-2001

The Government claims to be pushing for licensing leniency, but some police forces and councils are seeking the opposite. Jackie Annett reportsThe...

Regent Home in on Leicester Square superclub

07-Nov-2001

Regent Inns snapped up one of the most celebrated sites in London's West End when it bought the leasehold on Home nightclub in Leicester Square on...

Victory for Chorion in battle for late-night opening

11-Oct-2001

Chorion is claiming a significant victory in its long-running battle against Westminster City Council over late-night opening.The council came under...

Chorion buys more bars with late licences

19-Jun-2001

Chorion has snapped up more top late-night bars as it continues its fight against a council clampdown on late licences.It has bought two of the...

Chorion celebrates licensing victory

07-Jun-2001

Late-night bar operator Chorion is celebrating an initial victory in its battle against Westminster City Council's licensing policy.The company...