Council wants pubs in London’s Soho and West End to ban standing
Sadiq Khan criticises Westminster council’s ‘anti-growth policies’ after it recommends stopping ‘vertical drinking’ Waiting at the bar and trying to catch the bartender’s eye so you can order a pint, before going to stand with your friends and have a catchup, has been how British people have experienced going to the pub for centuries. But Westminster council has been accused of trying to put a…
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has criticized the Westminster council's proposed ban on "vertical drinking" in pubs in Soho and the West End. Standing by the bar and waiting for a drink, a tradition dating back centuries, could be prohibited under the council's new draft licensing policy. The policy, currently up for public consultation, recommends that pubs should discourage excessive drunkenness and promote more seating by replacing open bar spaces with waiter or waitress service.
This could limit social interaction and community cohesion, according to top licensing lawyer Philip Kolvin KC. The council also plans to ban the opening of new pubs and bars in the "cumulative impact zone," a high-activity area that includes Soho and large portions of the West End. Mayor Khan has expressed concern that these "restrictive and anti-growth policies" are not working, especially during a time when nightlife venues need support.
He is set to receive new powers, allowing him to "call in" licensing decisions made by local councils when the government grants him additional authority later this year.
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- No 10 backs ‘vertical drinking’ in Soho pubs cityam.com
