London mayor orders council to scrap plan banning new pubs and restaurants in Soho and West End

London mayor Sadiq Khan has instructed Westminster city council to drop a policy that would prevent new pubs and bars opening in Soho and the West End. The move follows reports that the council's draft licensing policy sought to stop customers standing while drinking — so-called "vertical drinking" — and required pubs to offer table service instead of bar orders.

The proposals, which would have affected applications to open new bars and restaurants in Westminster, prompted widespread public anger. Under the Conservative-run council's draft policy, newly licensed pubs would have to stop serving at 10pm, while nightclubs would close by 11.30pm on weekdays and midnight at weekends. The plan also designated the whole of Soho and the West End as a "cumulative impact zone", meaning no new pubs, bars or nightclubs could open except in exceptional circumstances — despite the area being one of Europe's most popular nightlife destinations.

Khan cited Home Office data showing only 41 licence applications were made in the West End cumulative impact area in 2023-24, of which just 16 were granted. Figures also show only 3.5% of applications referred to a Westminster licensing subcommittee between 2023 and 2026 were approved exactly as submitted, while pub and wine bar applications fell 80% between 2022 and 2024.

The draft policy also proposed special restrictions for Mayfair and Victoria over noise and other nuisance concerns. In his formal consultation response, Khan asked the council to scrap all these zones as well as the "core hours" policy, allowing venues to stay open later into the night.

Khan said licensing decisions had been skewed towards a small but vocal group of residents and councillors, without sufficient weight given to the impact on London's wider economy and culture. He pointed to Manchester city council as an example of a more enabling approach that supports growth in bars, pubs and restaurants without cumulative impact or core hours policies. Westminster city council has been approached for comment.