Sadiq Khan orders Westminster to scrap Soho pub-ban and 'vertical drinking' rules
London mayor uses new licensing powers for the first time to block a council plan curbing new bars and standing drinkers in Soho and the West End.
Conversation activity · last 2 days peak 2/hr
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 5 items across 4 sources · 7h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
Westminster council's draft licensing policy would have banned new pubs, bars and nightclubs from opening in Soho and the West End, discouraged standing while drinking ('vertical drinking'), and imposed early closing times. After the Guardian revealed the plan and public anger followed, Mayor Sadiq Khan used newly granted powers to formally order the Conservative-run council to scrap the restrictions and adopt a growth-focused nightlife policy instead.
- Westminster council's draft licensing policy sought to ban new pubs, bars and nightclubs in Soho and the West End except in exceptional circumstances, discourage 'vertical drinking', and impose early closing times.
- Sadiq Khan used newly granted mayoral powers for the first time to formally demand Westminster scrap the cumulative impact zones and core-hours policy.
- Khan cited Home Office data showing only 41 licence applications in the West End in 2023-24 (16 granted) and an 80% drop in pub/wine bar applications 2022-24 to argue restrictions were already excessive.
- Manchester city council was cited by Khan as a model of a more growth-friendly, less restrictive licensing approach.
How it unfolded
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Event Khan formally orders council to drop the ban
Sadiq Khan used his new mayoral licensing intervention powers for the first time, submitting a formal consultation response ordering Westminster council to scrap the cumulative impact zones, core-hours policy, and the ban on new pubs and bars.
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Analysis Khan cites licensing data and Manchester model
Khan pointed to Home Office data showing very low approval rates for new licences in the West End and cited Manchester city council's more permissive approach as a model for growth-friendly policy.
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Reaction Andy Burnham comments on 'British life'
Andy Burnham said standing up to drink in pubs was 'British life' and should not be curtailed by local councillors.
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Report Guardian reveals Westminster's draft policy
The Guardian reported that Westminster council's new licensing policy would ask pubs to stop customers standing while drinking ('vertical drinking') and require table service rather than bar orders.
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Reaction Public anger over restrictions
Widespread anger followed the revelation of plans to restrict new bars and impose early closing times (10pm last orders, midnight club closures) across Soho and the West End.
What people are saying verbatim
“Licensing decisions that could make or break our city’s nightlife have, in my view, been skewed towards the interests of a handful of highly vocal residents and councillors, without giving enough weight to the effects on London’s wider economy and culture.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London · The Guardian · Aug 8
“undermine City Hall’s efforts to make London’s nightlife the best in the world”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London · The Guardian · Aug 8
“remove this cumulative impact policy altogether, instead setting out a positive vision of the economic growth that is being promoted, rather than the activity that is to be restricted”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London · The Guardian · Aug 8
“Manchester city council’s policy has adopted a more enabling approach, with no core hours policy, no cumulative impact policy and a clear vision for what they are looking to promote across their different local neighbourhoods.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London · The Guardian · Aug 8
“British life”
Andy Burnham, Commented on the pub standing dispute · The Guardian · Aug 7